Copier
by regertz
Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…
1. Chapter 1

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part I... (Hopefully this save will keep my ...breaks, if not, nothing more I can do, though you can go and read this later on at my Buffy Rebeccaverse site, the Warehouse page. Give me a bit of time on that though...)

"I have not given up, Arthur!" Fierce cry… "This remains my house!"

Fade out…

All the team in the hall staring at the spot where ex-warehouse caretaker, current nemesis, Paracelsus had vanished…

"Ok…Either we are gooder than good…" Pete noted, eyeing the spot where Paracelsus had just been ranting at them in his alchemist's robes. "Or…"

"Hologram…Move!" Artie frowned…Turning to Claudia... "All right, he's clearly nearby, given he can't have much oomph left in his power cells."

"Oomph?" Claudia grinned. "You know what the movies' 'oomph' girl Ann Sheridan once said about that word?"

"The sound a fat man makes when he bends over to tie his shoes, yes." Artie glared.

"Just showing that my classic film skills are as honed to fine edge as are my computer kahones…" benevolent beam.

"I'll keep that in mind for movie trivia night…25 point handicap…"

"Hey."

"Ok…Guys…" Myka cut in. "Power mad former warehouse caretaker loose…Beat up a little but still loose?"

"Right." Artie nodded. "Jinks, take the It Girl and go to corridor five, cover sections 15-34."

"Artie? There's nothing there of use to Paracelsus…" Claudia, insistent.

"Oh, ye of little experience and unfounded arrogance…Do what I tell you, please?"

"We're going…" Jinks nodded, hard stare to Claudia's frown.

"Myka, you and Mr. Goodbar take corridor twelve, pay special attention to sections 2-14."

"And you'll cover section 1." Pete, confidently.

"No…I'll cover sections 35-100. Section 1 is where Mrs. Fredericks will be waiting…And God help Paracelsus if she finds him." Artie noted, faintest of sly smiles.

"Mr. Goodbar…" Pete, suddenly… "Ha, ha, ha…Good one, Artie."

"He was nice to me when I tole him I had cancer…" Myka sheepishly eyed Artie's grim "This is really the only man in your life right now?" expression.

"Fine…Go!" he waved…

She's going to tell him she thought it was very funny…Artie sighed…I know it.

God forgive me the day I brought that expert, clever, sharp as a razor, slightly self-important, FBI agent to pair with…Pete…

Poor kid's more in love every day…Lord, they practically think alike now.

Best thing you ever did, Arthur…He grinned at himself in the nearest mirror.

Uh-oh…Avoid that one…Interdimensional portal opens if you stare more than twenty seconds…

...

Corridor five, section 16…

"Ok, I have no idea what Paracelsus could possibly find of use down here…" Claudia fumed. "This is like, the kiddie section of Warehouse 13. We have been assigned the kiddie pool of artifacts, Steve. The kiddie pool…And look, the kiddie pool of Ayn Rand." She indicated the artifact.

"Ayn Rand had kids? Good God, I think I'll have nightmares just thinking about that." Jinks noted.

"No, she didn't…Well, this wasn't her kids' pool anyway…It was her pool."

"Ayn Rand had a kiddie pool? They had kiddie pools when she was a kid?"

"No, it says this was hers when she was an adult…Hmmn…" Claudia blinked at the card display.

"I don't want to know, do I?" Jinks, gulping.

"Wish I didn't…" Claudia nodding, paling… "Ok, maybe this area's not quite as dead…Sorry…Dormant as I thought."

"You don't have to pussy-foot around the word anymore, Claudie…" Jinks smiled. "I'm over it…I see It as an extension…A little kindly offer to let me have a little more time to do some good."

"And raise some degree of Hell before you're done, I hope." Claudia eyed him. "I didn't mean to raise St. Jinks from the dead, nice as I'm sure St. Jinks would be."

"Copacetic…" Jinks grinned. "Don't worry…We of the saintly persuasion are occasionally allowed a wild night off…"

"If I could believe that, I could be persuaded to try for Heaven one day…" Claudia nodded.

Crash from down the corridor…

"Section 19…" Claudia noted.

"On it…" Jinks hurried…

"Keep that energy orb handy…He's gotta be conserving power for one last blowout…" she noted.

"Right here…" Jinks briefly showed his small energy-absorbing orb, one of which Artie had given each agent as partial protection from Paracelsus' efforts.

"Claudia?" he stared at empty space…

Either her usual speed or…

"Or"…with Paracelsus about far more likely.

"Claudia!" he hurried down the corridor to Section 19…

Nothing…Yet… He peered around…

...

"Greetings fellow caretaker…" Paracelsus beamed at the newly appeared figure of Claudia now before him.

"Oh, don't bother trying to cry out…" he noted. "The sound absorbance of Mendes Pinto's Chinese screen is simply amazing." He pointed to the screen next to the wall behind him. "Pinto used to use it at first to drown out the sounds of his quarreling companions and avoid bringing punishment upon his imprisoned band in China…Then he saw its possibilities for espionage…And used it to help make Portugal a dominant power in the Far East in the first decades of the Age of Exploration. Past my time, rather…Or just after it, really…But my nephew's kind-hearted if naïve memory transfer gave me the gist."

She looked round… "How?"

He wiggled his fingers…Rings glittering…And sparking…On each one…

"Teleportation of the desired object to the summoner…Quite nice, eh? I hope you're not bothered to be the said 'desired object', dear? I assure you nothing of what you people nowadays call 'creepiness'? is intended."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that…" she eyed him. "Even without the extra creepy, you're pretty creepy."

"As are you…In fact…" he smiled. "I saw it in you, immediately…Even as we bronzed you. But I knew you would be…That it would be in you. It's an essential part of being a caretaker."

"The creepy?…In me?" she frowned. "Look, you medieval freak show escapee…I have the certifications of at least five excellent references that I am in fact the least creepy of persons…Semi-certifications. Look, I am not like you…A semi-mechanical freak…I don't know what you hope to gain by psyching me out but…"

"He didn't see it in himself…He was blind to it. I suppose we all are, especially caretakers…After all we're chosen for our moral and spiritual fortitude…Hubris on a high plane is inevitable." He smiled.

"He?" Claudia stared. Starting to move…

"Carefully, dear. Yes, the area is as you say, booby-trapped…" he nodded. "And I do not want you hurt…"

"Ah…So it's what?" she eyed him…He moving about, a bit nervously…

Twitching…Twitching? She stared at him…

Ah, right we hit his power core…Lights are flickering, band is playing as the ship goes under…

And hopefully, the lifeboats have already sailed minus the captain…

"…You want a caretaker…Geesh…" she sighed, staring. "Tell me it's not possession. I so don't want a guy rummaging through my personal stuff…"

"Intriguing…" Paracelsus smiled. "Have you encountered such an artifact in your work? That would allow mutual or single transmigration of souls between bodies?"

"Classified, Chester…" she smiled… "But don't try it. My friends know me very well and will be expecting something like this."

Right…Six months from now Pete would finally catch me using the mens' room…And still have no clue…

"Well, tempting as that is…" Paracelsus nodded… "I have an even better idea…Would you care to sit?" he indicated a large chair.

"Thanks, no…"

"Even better…And what I expected…" he parted hands and waved…

"OH…OH…" Claudia gasped…Falling to her knees…

"Bit draining, sorry…The copier here hasn't been used in some time." He smiled…As she disappeared in a blue glow.

"Excellent…Now you don't see her…" he waved an arm, pulling robe…

Then reached down to a small boxlike device, unobtrusively on the floor near the wall to the disappeared Claudia's right…And resetting some buttons, levers and other items, including a manually pulled needle on a beautifully labeled scale running across the box's length…Which he set to just shy of "Darkest…"

"And now…You…Do…"

Another blue flash…Claudia, back…

Eyeing him…Then a mocking smile…Icy look.

"Paracelsus…So…You weren't totally crazy…" she looked round, stretching a bit.

"It's not…" her gaze came back to focus on him.

"No…" he shook his head.

"And we're…?"

"Safe…More or less…And free…If you're clever enough a girl to listen…Quickly…" he eyed her.

...

"Claudia!" Jinks had spied her in the corridor…Staggering a little…

"Jinks?" she eyed him, looking wan…

"Are you ok?! Did he take you? Where's he got to?"

"Mostly…Yes, obviously…Not quite sure…" she eyed him…

Nope, not a lie in the bunch…She thought.

Wouldn't want to start off on the wrong foot with this one…Mr. Human Lie Detector…

"I'd better check in…" Jinks pulled his Farnsworth.

She eyeing the screen carefully…

"Any idea why he grabbed you? How did he, by the way?"

"I'm not sure is the answer to both…" she shrugged, smiling…

A smile that deepened…Eyes sparkling as Artie appeared on screen.

"What's happened?" he stared.

"Arthur…" she gasped under her breath…

"Artie…" Jinks carried the Farnsworth with him…

Drawing a harsh look from her which she quenched immediately as the screen moved from her view…

"Paracelsus took Claudia somehow…We don't know how…Invisibility, teleport…Trap door out of thin air…"

"What?! But I saw her…She was right there…" Artie's voice a bit frantic.

"No, I mean yeah…She's here…" Jinks nodded. "He didn't keep her…She was in the corridor…Just a bit stunned."

"She's ok? Put her on…Claudia?"

"Yeah…Right here…Not quite sure what he did or was doing but just fine…Peachy." She smiled at the image on screen.

Ecstatic, in fact…My darling…She beamed…


	2. Chapter 2

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part II… (hopefully this save will keep my... breaks this time, if not, afraid nothing more I can do)

"Ok…" the newly arrived Artie paced…Jinks and Claudia watching…

Jinks a bit concerned…Claudia, a bit more complicated as to emotional state…

Rather torn amongst attempted attentiveness…Amusement…Carefully reserved watchfulness…And rather devoted, even eager stare…

"We've definitely drained him…From what Claudia says he was…What?"

"Exhausted, even kinda flickery…Twitching, I mean…" she noted.

"So why waste power grabbing Claud?" Jinks asked.

"We need to find that out, if we can…" Artie, insistent. "He clearly needed or wanted something from her. Information, possibly."

"Could have to do with me being a potential caretaker…" Claudia eyed the two. "Was a little woozy after we parted company."

And how…She sighed.

"He may have drained force from you in some way." Artie nodded.

"Eehew…Don't put it that way." She shuddered. "Makes it sound so creepy."

Not that I dislike creepy…When I make the choice. Smile at Artie's perturbed look…

I'd forgotten how cute he is when he gets all concerned…

Or maybe, willed myself to forget…

"We should get her checked out immediately…" Jinks noted.

She eyed Jinks…Hmmn…

Not used to such concern from such a source…Considering last time we met you kept a gun on me and thought it might be best for all concerned to put a slug in my head.

"Agreed." Artie nodded. He pulled his Farnsworth… "Myka? Myka…"

"Right here, Artie. Nothing to report yet."

"Ok, I need you and Pete to cover all sections for a few…But stay where you are…Just look on the scanner for any energy pattern suggesting someone is trying to operate outside known Warehouse electromagnetic fields. I want to know if he's trying to get to the more sensitive objects. We can pinpoint him later."

"Artie? Is something wrong?" Myka's worried face stared at him.

"He…Paracelsus…Grabbed Claudia…" grim tone. "I need to check her out."

She blinked at him…Pete looking over her shoulder coming into view.

"Grabbed? Grabbed how?" Pete asked.

"Is she ok? Do I need to come?" Myka, anxiously…

"Not that kind of grab…" Artie sighed.

"Myka's all empathic since the cancer…" Jinks grinned at Claudia as she watched Artie talking…

Uh… "Not that she wasn't before…In a less lighthearted way, maybe…" Jinks, a bit concerned at Artie's stare.

"Yeah…Cancer changes people…Sometimes." Claudia nodded as Artie reviewed scanner use quickly with Myka. "Though sometimes…It's just what was buried brought up by the seismic disturbances at the personal level…"

"Hmmn? This 'Sound Like Art' day at the Warehouse?" Jinks eyed her.

"Never hurts to learn from the Master…" she smiled wanly.

Hmmn…She pondered…Myka? In charge of her group? Myka in charge?

Of anything?

Right, focus on the inadequate memory transfer…Lines of authority are different.

For the moment…

"Claud?" he stared. Then to her relief, after a momentary inward gulp…Whoops?...

Did I blow it?...

…Grinned. "He'll never let you live that one down. Just how badly were you stunned?"

"Pretty bad, I guess." Shrug… "Not really bad…" to his instantly concerned look…

Haven't had a look like that from this source in God knows when…Not even when he bronzed me.

Of course I did give good cause to lose such loving trust…

"I'm fine…" she smiled. "Just showin' my mentor a little appreciation. Getting of wisdom, Anakin mellowing out…That sort of thing."

"Sure." He grinned again.

Just a matter of keepin' back and light and avoiding my tendency to employ lies whenever possible…

"Ok!" Artie closed his Farnsworth… "Lets get you back and do a check…"

"Artie, I'm fine…Just a little woozy. Lets go catch Mr. Bad, before he gets whatever he wants." Claudia urged.

"Hmmn…No…He assaulted you for a reason…We need to know." He eyed her, then Jinks.

"Ohhh…" she nodded, grinning. "Ok…Lets go see if I'm Paracelsus in disguise or possessed, etc. All I'll say is, far as I honestly know I am Claudia."

"She is telling the truth." Jinks nodded.

Wave of hands… "See…From the lie detector's mouth." She grinned. "But, ok…Procedure. I get it." she went to Artie.

"Thanks, big boy…" she startled him by hugging him…

Oh, dear God…My love, my love…My heart…OH…

Hiding the expression on her face from Jinks…Pulling back immediately.

"Sorry…Moment got to me…Purge it from your memory files." Smile. "Lets go. We got a crazy caretaker to catch, right?"

Stupid, much…But, hey…What's life without a little risk now and then…She thought.

Gotta get him on a diet soon as possible, though…He must be a full forty heavier…

What the hell was I doing letting him go like that?

Well, first things first…Gotta obtain my clean bill of health, then see to my partner asap…

Artie blinking as she headed off…Glance to Jinks who shrugged.

...

"Grabbing…" Pete frowned, still tense at the word.

"Pete. Artie said it wasn't that." Myka, reassuring. "He may be crazy but he's not a rapist."

"I don't like bad guys who grab, Mikes…" he shook his head. "And he didn't take the risk for no reason…If he hurt Claudia…"

"We're gonna catch him…But not by fuming about his grabbiness…" she eyed him. "Now lets do what Artie told us and keep up the scans so we have a handle on what he's up to."

"I just can't believe they let a guy like this…Who experiments on his own family…Kills his sister…"

"…in-law…There are a lot of folks who at least fantasize about that." Myka noted, grinning.

"Violates every ethics thing these caretakers are supposed to live up to. It's like they gave the keys to MacPherson."

"The Warehouse has lost a lot of agents over the years, Pete…It's a hazard of workin' here. Power corrupts and all that." She noted.

"Not you…And I hope, not me." He eyed her.

"Never you." She smiled. "And you keep me grounded, so…Hopefully…Never me."

"But his record was so good…He seemed almost saintly before they chose him. How could the Warehouse change a man like that? MacPherson…Well, Artie always said he walked a fine line on the edge of good and evil…It's almost as if you or Claudia or poor Leena…"

"He may just have been a good actor, Pete. Conned the regents of his day like HG did ours when she was still…"

"…Stark raving crazy…" he finished.

"May he went mad for some reason…Lost somebody, got sick…There's just no record." She noted, holding the scanner carefully and checking readings.

"You didn't run for an artifact…" he eyed her.

"I wasn't dying. Won't…Just yet." She continued the scan. "But if push came to shove?...I can't honestly say how I'd react…I hope I wouldn't but…"

"Suppose we change the subject back to hunting crazy guys…" he urged. "I'm not anxious to go down this path of topic…"

"Right…" wan grin… "Me, too. Well, nothing so far. I guess we just keep scanning and see if he crawls out of the woodwork."

"Ok…" he looked round.

"Now where would a former , currently insane, caretaker hide out in here as his batteries run down…Literally, given that mechanical arm."

"That was a surprise…" Myka nodded. "But he was nuts on the idea of improving himself…"

"Nuts on just about everything…"

"And now, for all extents, immortal…Till we bag the other half of the Stone." She noted. "It's lucky he did turn to mechanical aids, like Artie said before, we might not have been able to catch him as pure human Immortal."

"He'd've come to us…He wants this place…All of it…" Pete shook his head, looking around. "He's obsessed with returning to his 'house'…Even apart from just the power thing."

"Well, he did lose it suddenly…Must have been wrenching…"

"Yeah…Like Hitler losing Berlin...You know I can't believe Mrs. Fredericks doesn't rate us over the Warehouse 9 team."

"She had a point…They didn't have our resources…And you were being critical, Pete. We don't know what they were up against at the time, but heck…They didn't even have cars or planes for travel. And they had to fight their own caretaker, the man they trusted implicitly."

He shrugged… "I'm not sayin' they weren't good…In their day…But come on, Mikes...How many times now have we pulled it out? Saved the world, saved lives. I don't say I want thanks or anything…But you know…"

"Well, I'm grateful…" she smiled… "But grateful most of all for having you here while I've been going through all this."

"It's what I'm here for, Myka." He smiled back.

"So…Uh…Hows HG?"

"HG? Fine…" she shrugged… Resuming scan. "You saw her when she came to see me…"

"Yeah…Yep…Saw her…She looked good, I guess…"

"Pete?"

"Looked real good… Great…Mentally stable and everything…"

"She's very happy…She has her new family, new daughter…Another one on the way."

"Oh…" brightly. "Oh…" calmer tone…Careful nod. "That's great…Nice to hear she's adjusting so well."

"I don't love you any less cause I have feelings for her." Myka eyed him.

Uh… "Whoa…Where did that come from?" he blinked.

"I think now…" she sighed… "Now I've seen it really can all go in a moment…And had a chance to think about it all…"

Buzz of Farnsworth as he stared at her…

"Artie?"

"Hello. Anything to report?"

"Nothing as yet. How's Claudia?"

"She's fine…Thanks. Call you later." The image went out.

She looked at Pete who shrugged.

"He must be on to something…His usual obsession…"

"I don't know…" she shook head… "He would've told us about Claudia then to keep scanning, at least…"

"Maybe he thinks we're at the point we can handle things without constant instruction…" he noted.

She looked at him…He at her…

"Yeah…" he sighed. "Call him back."

"It's jammed…Static…" she eyed the screen.

"It must have been Paracelsus, trying to find out what's going on with us." She looked at Pete.

"But nothing on the scanner…?"

"It would only pick him up if he tapped Warehouse energy…He's lying low, waiting for something…"

"Or someone?" Pete suggested. "Should we go to Artie's office…?"

"You better…I'll stay…Keep scanning…"

"He may have wanted to separate us, Mikes…"

"I'm ready for him…And he has no one…Not even the Suttons, now… " she patted her Tesla… "Don't worry, just go."

"Yeah…Uh…"

"I want to talk…Later…And we will." She eyed him.

"Right. Right….Ok…" he nodded. She kissing him quietly before he could turn.

"I'm so grateful for you." She beamed.

"Oh, do you have to when I'm leaving? I'm getting all creeped out…" he noted.

"I'll be fine. Just be careful going back."

"Right. Mikes? I'm pretty grateful myself, you know."

"I know." Beam.


	3. Chapter 3

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part III…

(Warning…This one's K+, just a bit of the sexual)

"So? Oh, great Nielson, am I pure?" grin…

"Funny girl…Yes." Remove of stethoscope, rollback of chair…Brisk jotting of notes.

"Funny…Lady…" Claudia, high-mindedly…And in remarkably good spirits for one submitting to Artie's pokings and proddings…

One or two faint grumbles tossed in after Jinks had gone off to check on Mrs. Fredericks… Claudia having figured they might be necessary to avoid unwanted questions or concerns. Last thing wanted while having such an intimate…

Careful, Donovan…Not the time nor place…

…Moment.

"Whatever…" Artie sighed. "Bottom line is, you seem clean…"

"Except a fiend is residing in my body!…" she mugged a bit.

"Only one named Claudia Donovan…" he frowned at her grin.

As always…You are so right, my darling…Her smile widening…

"Any word on our resident Mad Man who never provided references, is late on his rent, and doesn't even redeem himself by looking like John Hamm?"

"Not so far…But…I've had some trouble reaching Myka and Pete."

"Really?" …worried look pasted... "And we're just sitting here?"

Delighting in what for me was a near-orgasmic…Aw, hell, there she blows…Experience?

"Claudia, are you all right?!" he stared. "You're shaking like a leaf…Here, put on your clothes…Let me get you some tea."

"Great…" she hopped off the table she'd been examined on…Pulling on blouse. "Gotta use the ladies room (really, really gotta), be right back. But I'm fine! Just great. Put it in a travel mug and lets release the hounds of Warehouse 13!"

Oh, yeah…Little…Eehew as to suddenness, but really…Great…

I promise…It'll be better for you next time, love…She looked to where he was making tea in the kitchen…

Whatever I am, I am not selfish that way…

…..

Section 1…

"So Claudia seemed a bit 'woozy' but there was no sign of Paracelsus and no physical damage to her?" Mrs. Fredericks summed up, questioning look to Jinks.

"Nothing that she felt or we could see…Artie's giving her the full once over now."

"All right…" she pondered. "He must have been after something…Either information or something he could obtain from her physically."

Slight wince from Jinks caught by her…

"No offense, Mr. Jinks."

"No, ma'am…" he sighed. "I just don't love the image it creates…"

"Lets hope it remains merely an image."

"Yes, ma'am." nod. "She thought it might have to do with her being the potential next caretaker. Artie agreed…He's checking to be sure it's not…Well…"

"Possession, good thought…Mr. Nielson is wise to keep all options in mind. Poor thing…" sigh.

"Ma'am?"

"I was possessed for three months once back before I became a caretaker…A fellow from up there…" she pointed… "…Who wanted a few of our artifacts…Actually not with hostile intent, he was some sort of archeologist."

"From 'up there'?" Jinks looked up.

"The final frontier, Mr. Jinks…An alien…The Warehouse's energy worked like a beacon advertising us to the Galaxy. We've since shielded it so as not to attract unwanted attention from more hostile species."

"Up there…" he nodded.

"Yes. His way of apologizing, providing us the technology to do so…He'd not realized we were the sentient species here, thought we were guard dogs or something of that sort protecting a long-dead civilization's artifacts."

"Guard dogs…?"

"Humility, Mr. Jinks…It's a big universe…" stern look, shift of glasses.

"Yeah…Well…" he snapped out of his blinking stare… "She didn't think she was possessed and Artie didn't either, so it was probably something else."

"Yes. It might be wise, then, for you to go and assist them in finding it out, Mr. Jinks. I do appreciate your concern and it was wise to check."

"Right, ma'am." Careful stare…

"No, it left no permanent effects, Mr. Jinks…Just a bit unnerving…"

"Right…" he nodded, backing away…

Somehow though, it does explain a lot…

….

"Ok…" Claudia nodded, pulling from the main computer terminal… "I've upgraded my search program…We still can't break Paracelsus' screening of the artifacts he's secured, but the search for the ones still in place should finish faster with my tweaks." Sipping at tea.

"Good." Artie nodded. "And feeling ok?"

"Copacetic, ma." She grinned. "With this tea boost ready to take up knitting…Want a new sweater, Neily?"

"What?" he blinked as she eyed the computer screen. Yep, all tweaked…To avoid everything important my dear buddy-in-crime took.

"Sweaters are in, somewhere…" she shrugged.

"'Neily'?" he eyed her…

"Like it? My new term of endearment since you got all motherly." She hastily dodged.

Damnit…Review all items extruding from the jaw, Donovan…She grimly noted to herself. Relieved at his roll of eyes…

"Show a little concern, that's what I get…" he frowned.

"I luv you too, Neilykins…" she grinned.

If you only knew…Her smile warm and heartfelt. He eyed her a moment, unable to repress a grin back…

Progress…She told herself.

And if all goes well with dear Parcy…I will make my place here. On my terms…

"Yo, Boss…" Claudia greeted Pete as he entered the living quarters…He staring…

"'Yo'… 'Boss'?" he eyed her…

Jesus…Goddamn…Focus, willya. She told herself…Ya got Paracelsus' upload, no excuses for getting' sloppy.

"Just messin' with ya, Petey…But the promotion is deserved for recent noble work." she noted calmly.

Yeah…A little stroke to the ego…Properly sincere and not overdone, even used to work with Peter the Grim…For a little while…

Then what with the sex and thieving and betrayal and grab for power…Things got complicated… Not to mention…

Sweetie, you're just not my type…

"Uh-huh…Artie? Everything ok?" Pete turned to the approaching Artie, lugging his bag.

"Hmmn? Oh, yeah…No signs of possession, human or non-…Energy's normal…Vitals the usual except for a slight fever and chills a few minutes ago."

I wouldn't say…Chills…Claudia thought. Kinda more like…Thrills. Beaming at Artie, though cutting intensity as he looked her way…

Tone it down, plenty of time for relationship building if all goes well…Lets settle in, get the lay of the land, check out the opposition…

Though very promising if this is it…She eyed Pete…

God, if I could just show our Special Agent Fueher this guy for a minute…

The look on his pompous, know-it-all, defeated you again, Claudia…Puss. Heck, just seeing his own noble form out of a proper regulation monkey suit would freak him…

Ok…I am a sore loser. I admit it, I can deal with it.

"Claudia…?" Artie stared.

"Oui, mon captaine?" she grinned.

"Would you go with Pete and take up the position in sections 15-34, as I asked…Twice?" hard look. "Please?"

"Uh, sure…Uh…Shouldn't Pete go with Myka?" she tried, eyeing Pete.

Please…Tell me we're not a couple here…Mental thumbing… Yes! It's no way!

Hmmn…And yes…Small exclam…He's into tall, tight-bloused, and brunette here too.

Perhaps with more reason…

And potentially, useful to know…

Phew…Thought for a mo this Neily was also into trying to hook me up with someone… 'For your own good, Miss Donovan, you need to spend more time with someone besides me.'

Back in the days when I was still worth caring about…Sorta…In spite of my flaws, both acknowledged and potential.

Worst advice you ever gave me…Or yourself, Arthur…She eyed him. Trying to conceal the sadness…Attentive look pasted immediately at his stare. The one thing I should never have been…Without you.

"I want to consult with Mrs. Fredericks. I'll send Jinks to Myka. I'll let all of you know when your program finishes." Artie explained, not very patiently. "And I don't want you alone. Capiche?" Stern glance. Eyeing Pete as well…

"Capiche." She nodded. Disorienting him a bit with her warm smile. "Thanks." She patted his arm. "I'll be good."

I always was, for you…As long as you were with me…I could be.

Within limits…

"Shall we?" she grinned at Pete.

"Wait!" Artie halted them. "We're forgetting that Paracelsus has tapped into the Farnsworths…We need a password or something to id ourselves."

Pete beaming…Password, eh?

"Orphan Annie…Mine…" Claudia grinned.

"Come on, that's not bad, Artie…" Pete to Artie's glare…Take this seriously, would you, people?

"Fine."

"I'll stick with 'Mr. Goodbar'…Say hows about…"

"Lord Nelson." Claudia cut in. "Hero and saviour of England…Not immediate history Paracelsus would latch onto…And just close enough to Nielson, huh?"

"Ummn…" Artie blinked.

Actually, rather…

"I wish you two would take this seriously…" frown…

"We just did…Three excellent and unique passwords, none of which Paracely is likely to be familiar with." Claudia noted. "Play fair, Artie…Admit we did good. Admit…" wheedling tone…Cocked head…

"Yeah." Pete, pleased at implied praise.

"Again…Fine." Artie, annoyed tone. "Get moving…And keep those orbs handy…We can't be sure Paracelsus isn't recharging somehow."

Lord Nelson?…Really? Well...He raised himself on toes, brightly, watching as the others left.

"He liked that, you know…" Pete smiled at her as they walked back into the Warehouse… "Donovan, you're a sweet kid, sometimes…"

"Not really…" she smiled back.

….

"Myka?..." Jinks called, softly…Moving down the corridor to section 5…Watchful.

"Hey." Myka waved. "Hold still there a minute…" she pulled up her Tesla.

"I'm holdin'…" he nodded. As she approached…

"You first? Or me?" he asked.

"Me…" she touched him lightly with her treated gloved hand.

Nothing…

"You're clear too…" he nodded, touching her with his gloved hand. "Any sign of him?"

"Not a peep since Claudia got free of him…" she shook her head. "Scanner's been almost flat line…Just the residual noise Artie screened for."

"Well, he must be here somewhere…" Jinks sighed. "Pete and Claudia are making for sections 15-34…Shall we get going here?"

"Yeah, he's gotta show sooner or later or give up the game…"

"Interesting way to put it, Miss…" Paracelsus noted, standing before them. "You know, I'm finding I like the ways in which you moderns express yourselves… 'Whatever', 'Gotcha', 's'up'…Very to the point yet that nice degree of ambiguity."

"I agree…" A second Paracelsus had appeared, to Myka's right at the entrance to the walkway of section 6.

"Cute…" Jinks tossed a pen at the hologram which flickered.

"What do you want, Paracelsus?" Myka addressed the first Paracelsus…Jinks confirming with another pen toss that it too was simply a hologram.

"I thought I'd made that clear…I want my house back." He noted calmly.

She eyed her scanner…Nothing…

"He's not pulling power from the Warehouse…" she noted to Jinks.

"Batteries. Wonderful invention." A third Paracelsus, further down the main corridor, grinned. "Do you know that a mere five Energizers have kept this rather delightful illusion device running all day?"

"He wants to separate us, Myka." Jinks noted.

"Am I that obvious?" the second Paracelsus sighed, smiling at end. "No, in fact, I'm trying to negotiate, yet again, my dears…"

"You expect us to give up the Warehouse…To you?" Myka stared.

"I am its proper owner…I have title and claim…" the first Paracelsus insisted.

"You were entrusted with Warehouse 9 by its real owners, the Regents…It was a trust, which you violated. You haven't any claim here." She frowned.

"Debatable…If I wished to debate. You will vacate…Or you will die." The third noted quietly…All three vanishing.

Jinks eyed Myka…

"Just trying to psych us…And maybe delay the search?" she shook head…

Whoa…She jumped at a sudden drumming sound…

An Energizer bunny rolling across the corridor…Banging drum…Jinks eyeing her, she eyeing Jinks.

"Funny alchemist." She frowned.

"Wait…Maybe we should follow it." He noted. "He did mention…Batteries? Maybe he's needing to retrieve a few? That thing is remote controlled."

"So we're following a bunny now?" she sighed. But, reluctantly…

…..

Section 1…

Artie standing in front of the seated Mrs. Fredericks…

"So you wanted to… 'Consult', Arthur?" she eyed him. "Have a seat…" she indicated the lawn chair besides hers.

"Security protocol?" she frowned as he moved to the chair.

"Already checked by Li Tan-Ti's hummingbird…" he smiled. Indicating a tiny mechanical bird hovering just above them both.

"I had Jinks slip it in when he came to see you…It's sensitive to artifact energy." Shrug to her stare… "I figured if Paracelsus was playing you, he'd be prepared for the glove test."

"Well done…" she nodded. "I expected no less."

He took seat.

"What's on your mind? Paracelsus, naturally…"

"Yes." Sigh. "It doesn't add up…His record was brilliant…All the regents not only voted him in but were actively seeking him."

"We're not infallible, Arthur…" she noted, calmly. "We've been fooled before. MacPherson, Ms. Wells in her grief-deranged state, and many, too many others…We are, after all, only human."

"Yes, but the change was so sudden…" he noted. "One of the most dedicated caretakers one day…The next…"

"Madness among caretakers isn't new. It's an occupational hazard…Arthur? May I ask a question?"

"Yes." He sighed. "This does have to do with my recent eruption."

"Are you suggesting Paracelsus' state is artifact-induced? That was reviewed at his trial before the regents, you know."

"I know…But I also know…The man loved his family, even his no-account brother, cared for them, nursed them through plague…Only to torment them with his crazy immortality experiments and murder one of them now?"

"People do change, Arthur…Power does corrupt…And others are well able to mask their worst side…But even if I allow your argument and some unknown force or artifact caused Paracelsus' change in behavior?"

"It could help us to stop him…If he conceals himself successfully, sooner or later he'll recover his power and we may not be able to contain him a second time. Is there anything you know of that could have done this to him?"

She sighed. "It's not a question of 'anything' but isolating the nearly countless number of things that could have…But he was very carefully checked. No artifact known had affected him."

"None known…To Warehouse 9's regents." He eyed her. "But he had…Has… A knack for combining artifacts to achieve an effect…Do you know of anything that might have, in combination at the time…?"

"It's as I've said, Arthur…" she leaned back a bit… "I don't deny your theory has merit…But without more to go on all we can do is eliminate possibilities…And our main focus has to be stopping and recapturing him before he can try again."

"He wanted Claudia…For something…" Artie shook his head. "He didn't waste power and risk bringing her to him for nothing."

"But she's perfectly normal…So your tests indicated?"

"She is…" he nodded. "But so was he…"

…


	4. Chapter 4

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part IV…

Section 17…

Just past Alois Hitler's Ouija board…

"Alois?" Pete stared.

"Adolf's half-brother…He ran a bar in Germany, kept his head down during the Nazi years…" Claudia noted. "The board predicted his brother's rise to power, all of the events of the Third Reich…"

"But…" Pete stared…

"Some people don't wanna hear bad news, Pete." She grinned. "Alois handed it over to the Allies after the war. He'd never wanted any part of it…Sensible part of the family. His wife of the time was something of a psychic and through her dread of her crazy in-law and psychic 'whatever' the board absorbed his brother's crazy vibe energy to predict his fate somehow and now…"

"It predicts the fate of anyone using it…?"

"Very good. The catch being…" she grinned…Holding the computer label board for him to see…

"The predicted fate is the worst possible for the user…" he read.

"Adolf's little gag gift to the world…Use to be avoided…Much…"

"Yeah…" he nodded.

"Peter…" she eyed him. "It's a timeline thing…Worst timeline thing…As in, hurt people you love as well as yourself…Get me?"

"Right."

I'd encourage you, but Fate has a nasty way of biting back at you…I oughta know…She reflected as they moved on, Pete unable to resist a glance back…

…

Section 9…

"Do you see it?" Myka looked round…Jinks on the ground, trying to eye under shelves where the Energizer bunny had gone…

"No, it just zipped off…" he sighed…

"Well, it must've crossed underneath to the next section…" she pondered. "Do you suppose it's an artifact?"

"I never heard of a bunny artifact…And it would have to be pretty recent." Jinks stared.

"I'll try and see if Artie recognizes it. Lets try and get to the section over there before it can get out in the corridor again."

Calling Artie about an Energizer bunny artifact…Well, no one can say this one isn't one of our more interesting ones…He thought.

"Artie?" Myka addressed the Farnsworth…

"Wait, Myka. That thing is remote controlled, right?" Jinks, suddenly…

"You said so, not me…" she eyed him. "Hey, Artie…"

Static-filled screen…Faint voice…

"He's probably listening in as well as jamming…" Jinks noted.

"Not now he's not…." Artie's image clear on screen. "Encrypted circuit, a little security thing of my own…What's up?"

Myka eyeing Jinks…Jinks, Myka.

"Uh…We're pursuing a possible lead…" she began…

….

Artie in chair sighed…

"An Energizer bunny…"

"We thought it was a joke on his part but he's probably using it to get some extra battery power for his hologram system…" Myka noted, a bit sheepishly.

"He's running his holograms off Energizer batteries?" Artie stared.

"Gotta admire his energy efficiency…" Myka shrugged. "But we did wonder about…"

"No…I have never heard of an Energizer bunny artifact." Artie, with finality.

"And Jinks has an idea…The bunny is remote controlled…Wirelessly?" Myka eyed the screen.

"Oh…Really." Artie stared. Swinging round in his chair…

"How's Claudia?" Myka asked.

"Making the rounds in 2-14 with Pete…And so far as I know, quite well. Ok, Energizer bunny, wireless…Radio Shack catalog, I love you." Artie addressed the screen image. "Ok, here's the frequency. Jinks, set your Farnsworth…"

…

Section 1…

Holographic images of various Regents surrounding Mrs. Fredericks…

"So it's agreed?" she asked the group…

"Yes…If Paracelsus isn't taken soon, there must be a full convocation…" Mr. Kosan nodded.

"I'm leery of this still…He may have anticipated our move, want us in one place…" Mrs. Lattimer shook her head. "And if he's used an artifact on Claudia…The next potential caretaker…"

"She's been cleared of any influence that we can detect…" Mrs. Fredericks noted. "And we must take proper action to prevent Paracelsus from doing further damage."

"Surely if he's been weakened…" another regent, male, spoke up…A nurse by outfit…

"A temporary condition unless we locate him…And right now, I'm unable to. And he still has some artifacts, however well concealed, we are sure of that. I won't be able to fight him alone at his full strength, not a second time." Mrs Fredericks sighed. "I don't make this request lightly. If he gains the upper hand, even for a short time…We could lose every artifact here…"

"It's decided. We're on our way. But I still have hope that your team can defeat him…They have my full confidence…" Kosan, firmly.

"Thank you…" she nodded.

…..

Section 10…

By a rather attractive portrait on shelf…Pete rather fascinated by the lovely woman…

"Portrait of Elisabeth Pepys, wife of Samuel Pepys…Isn't that guy with the diary?"

"1660-9, daily diary of his life during some of the most interesting times in English history, yeah…" Claudia dryly… "Not to mention rather revealing as to personal lives, including his own. That's his wife…Hmmn…" she read the computer label. "The portrait was supposedly destroyed in the 19th century but in fact was brought in along with the other components of Pepys' pantograph."

"This thing…?" Pete held up a metal piece, rather like a thin robotic arm with spot for a metal engraving bit.

"That thing…In part…" Claudia nodded, reading… "Mrs. Pepys died suddenly in 1669 and in his grief…And considerable guilt over his affairs…Pepys turned to his friend Robert Hooke the creative genius and rival of Newton…"

"For what?" Pete stared…

"The pantagraph makes perfect copies from one image to another…" she shrugged. "Guess he wanted prints. Lets move on…" she put down the label.

"Wait a mo…" Pete had taken the label… "Pepys used the device, modified through combination with another artifact by Hooke, to copy her image? Into a living replica? Whose identlty they concealed as 'Mary Skinner', known to history as his mistress until his death in 1703? He brought his wife back?"

"A copy…Not important right now, Pete."

"But what other artifact?...Hold on…"

He would…He would find this one…She sighed inwardly. But, no need to give him any reason to start his vibing crap jellin'…It's not the essential…

"…the rest of the artifacts Hooke combined were never identified…Pepys surrendered the pantagraph to the Warehouse in his will…Mrs. Pepys lived on to die a natural death in her sixties. Claudia? He brought her back…"

"And I brought Jinks back…Not all that big a deal these days, Pete." She noted.

Jinks…I brought back Jinks…

Of all people…My one chance…And I bring back…Jinks. Here, too, according to my lil' upload.

"Pete? This isn't getting us any closer to our tenant…"

"Yeah…" he sighed, putting the label unit back. "Sorry. Still, imagine…How could something like that work?"

"We'll figure it out over cocoa after we catch Mr. Big Bad. Come on…" she urged.

Yeah, just another funny little oddity of Warehouse 13…Lets move on before I have to kill you, hon?

They both stared at the sound of a tinny, banging drum…

And the Energizer bunny rolling by them…

"Was that?" Pete eyed Claudia.

"I think so…It just kept going…" she nodded.

Ok…Message received…Time to part company, dear partner.

"Ok…I think we need to follow the white rabbit...Alice…" he eyed her.

"Annie…Don't forget my password." She eyed him. "But you follow the wabbit and I'll cut him off at the pass, John Wayne."

Always make the most of an opportunity to accomplish the mission…Nielson rule #115…And I have them down by heart…

"Claud? Are you…?" he stared as she hurried round the corner. "Claud?! Artie said not to…"

"…leave you alone…" he sighed.

"Follow the wabbit, Elmer!" her voice, calling…

"Fine…Ok…Just keep talking so I know where you are, please!" he turned, hurrying after the scurrying bunny.

"You heard the gentleman, dear…" Parcelsus eyed her as she frowned at him on the other side of the section.

"Lets make this short, partner." She insisted in hissed voice. "Ok, Pete! I'm coming round the back way!" she called.


	5. Chapter 5

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part V…

"There may not be time…" Paracelsus frowned at Claudia… "What about him?" he shrugged to suggest Pete's direction.

"Not ours…And we have no idea what the result might be with another…I told you. If we're to secure the Warehouse here, we need to use reliable tools, from the world we know or close to it…Not a potential rival…"

"Him? A rival?" stare…

"An obstacle then…A potential troublemaker who won't play along…No, we need…"

"Claud! Hey, Claudia!" Pete's voice… "I think the bunny went down a wabbit hole, I can't find him. Claudia?!"

"I'm fine, Pete!" she called.

"Either we do this the right way or you can face the regents without my help." She hissed.

"You ignorant, silly child…" sneer… "You think I need your help…? In my own house…" he glanced round, grand wave. "Here, where I am akin to the very gods? Do you think I could be defeated, in my own house…When I still have these…" he displayed the rings on his fingers.

"And this…" he pulled his robe to reveal a metal belt. She eyeing it.

"I lead a charmed life…No man of woman born may harm me…" he smiled.

"Garrick's belt…" she nodded. "Nice, but Shakespeare's a bit after your time, isn't he?"

"My dear nephew's aid was invaluable…" he smiled. "I regret not yet having had the chance to see this master playwright Shakespeare's works as yet…But all in good time…"

"Of course…" she noted. "Still…That's hardly invulnerability…Man-proof?" sardonic look…

"Tut…" he smiled coolly. "No, hardly…But not my only protection, dear one." He was at her side, grasping her by the throat. "I sensed from the start you were of my sort…I sensed the darkness in you and in the other…Just as it was in my own other self, whatever saintliness he professed…Don't think you can take me by surprise, dear. I'm fond of you and our alliance is one I would maintain but if it becomes necessary…I can find another…I have the device."

"Not so good as me…Not who knows you and you, her…Who knows your plans and would follow your lead…" she gasped out…

"Claudia! The stupid thing's on the run again!" Pete called.

"True enough…" Paracelsus released his grip. She eyed the gauntlets on his arms…

"The armor of Achilles, yes…" he nodded. "Speed to the legs, strength to the arms…Oh, my dear…" he smiled. "I know the treasures of my own house."

"Fine…Then be sensible and stick to the program." She glared. "I know these people and enough about this world to operate, you don't…For all Nicholas' memory transfers. My way is the way to go."

He frowned…

"Look, pal…Who debronzed your falsely trapped saintly counterpart in our world and started this whole sequence of events? Who summoned your spirit back to our world so you could make these lovely plans for universal conquest and sent you here again at just the right time for your idiot nephew to free you so we…WE…Could escape...here, where if we play our cards right...No one need ever know we control all secrets of the Warehouse? Not even the regents suspecting their own dear caretaker Claudia." She eyed him. "You said, back home, you could appreciate my darkness and my skill…In all fields…Well? Lover?" she smiled at him. Seductive grin…

He paused, then returned smile…

"Very well. We'll proceed as you've suggested." He nodded.

"Let me get Pete away and then you know what to do. But make sure I'm nearby when you separate them…"

"Are you certain you can deal with…"

"Claudia! The darned thing's back under! Where are you?!" Pete called.

"I'm coming! Stay with Bugs! He's our best lead!" she called back…

"You'd better get back to driving that thing before square of jaw corners him." She eyed Paracelsus. "Look, it's best if I handle this…I'll need to handle things anyway, with this one. Is it here or no?"

"There…" he nodded… Glancing over to a corner. "But do you know how?"

"Pull the needle, type the cards for more exact specs, press the button… I was the one who figured it out in my era, in our world, remember?...Anyway…Thank God we don't have to use Pepys' pantagraph set up, thanks to the latter improvements."

"With me, it was quite an effort…" Paracelsus noted. "He had to have a young artist assist him, poor fellow. Quite a talent, really…He managed it in one painting. A pity I had to kill him to conceal myself here." Thin smile…

"I know what you mean…" she nodded. "You better get moving. How are you managing, anyway?"

"The cloak of Haroon-ur-Rashid…" he smiled…Waving robe.

"Ah…Thought you seemed a bit attached to an unfortunate dress choice." She grinned.

"It confers both invisibility and camouflage as needed…The great Caliph used it to disguise himself as he toured the streets of Baghdad, seeking out injustice…As I shall use it to deliver justice upon my enemies…Shortly." He noted. "To your good success, my dear…And our new ally…"

"Please…" closing eyes… "Don't call her that…Minion is good enough." Claudia frowned as he turned…Screaming in shock as she stabbed him in the side with a short curved sword she'd pulled from under her blouse.

"Pete! Oh, God! Pete!" she screamed… "He's here! Help!"

"Claudia?! Claudia! I'm comin'!" his faint call…

"Uh…Argh…Ahhh…" Paracelsus stared at her, whirling round. Staggering back…

"Just needed to know where it was, sweetie." She beamed. "And I know my Shakespeare too… 'See how my sword weeps for the poor king…For this too, was I ordained.'" She pulled out the sword in one sharp tug, eyeing the bloody blade, then tossing it aside. He on his knees now, groaning…

"Omar's scimitar…Rashid's cloak…Ironic, eh?" she grinned. "But the only thing, when wielded by a woman, that could overcome most of the protections I saw that you grabbed…Even Garrick's Belt from his 'Macbeth'…Again, the woman thing. Does come in handy." Nod.

"You?...No!…You?!…No…No! Not you…Not a child…A fool…ish…Woman." he struggled with the cloak as if to conceal himself, then collapsed.

"You medieval types…" she sighed over him…Covering him with his robe, the Caliph's cloak…He and the cloak immediately fading from view…She pulling the invisible body and cloak over to the shelf… "Always underestimating a woman."

She eyed the spot…Not a trace, so long as Pete doesn't trip over it. Just a matter of keepin' him out of corners he should not go.

" Well, it's not like I'm killing the good and noble Paracelsus…" she noted. "You did that when he accidently summoned his own darkest side from our world testing the earliest version of our little copier…After I put him back in our bronzer. I did ask you to spare him, you recall…If only to conceal our escape.

Consider this my last act of justice as an agent of Warehouse 13…" frown. "Before I accept my promotion to caretaker/world Queen…

…/Mrs. Nielsen."

"But hey…Don't worry…I'll maintain your manly supervillain image for a bit longer…I need an imaginary threat…Almost as much as I need my dear ole sidekick…And the love of my life…" she addressed the corpse, now safely invisible against the shelf wall.

"Pete!" she screamed…


	6. Chapter 6

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part VI…

"Myka!" Pete's anxious face on her Farnsworth. "Uh, Mr. Goodbar here…Myka!"

"Pete?!" she stared. "What the hell? We heard a scream…"

"Several…" Jinks noted.

"Several screams…" she corrected. "And are you making a joke?!"

"No, I forgot you didn't get the password…" Pete, hurriedly.

"What?"

"Myka…Claudia…Paracelsus has her…Over by section 12…She was…"

Another scream… "Pete!"

"I'm on my way! Listen, you son of a bitch! If you hurt her…!"

"We're coming!" Myka cried, putting her Farnsworth in her jacket pocket and hurrying down the corridor, Jinks following, Testa gun out.

"Claudia!" Pete had reached the section…She staring at him, terrified look…Blood from a cut on one hand…

"Pete! He…" she gasped… "I managed to get the scimitar away…I think I wounded him…There…" she pointed to the bloody scimitar on the floor. He grabbing at her hand…

"Claud?..."

"I'm ok…Just a cut…Pete, he's insane! I mean schizo, insane…No rational plans just nuts…He was babbling about us…Making me his Queen…I think he…" she stared at him.

Yes…Let it sink in…This girl needs rape counseling…She thought.

And who is best qualified…?

"He didn't hurt you?!"

"No…Only…" she gasped… "OH, Pete!" she hugged him…

I really shoulda thought to tear the blouse a bit more…

"Ok, ok…It's ok…It's gonna be ok…" he patted her. "You're all right, you're gonna be fine…"

I could get to like this one…He is kinda nice…

But, only one guy for me…In my twisted way, I am faithful…

"Claudia!..." Myka, followed by Jinks…

Ah, right on time…

"Myka!...Oh…" she pulled gently from Pete, embracing her… "He…"

Oh…Sobbing…

Yes, borderline…But I have the acting chops and this is for the Oscar…

"Claudia…Claudia…" Myka stroked her…

"He…He's gone that way…" Claudia pointed a trembling hand… "But he has the Rashid cloak…He can go invisible…"

"We're on it, come on Jinks!" Pete cried… Both heading out.

"Be careful! Tell them to be careful!" she urged Myka…

"Sure, yes…Guys, I'll be right with you…"

"No, please…" Claudia, desperately… "Don't leave me…!"

"No, no honey…I'm staying till Artie gets here…" soothingly…

And so much for the manly brigade…Well, I'll be nice to them as Caretaker cum Queen…Find them cushy courtier spots or something…

It's not like they'll have much to do once I'm in power, after all. Queen Claudia will be running a very tight ship, Warehousewise…

Heck, Humanity should thank me for taking on the responsibility…I doubt any Warehouse has or will ever be as well protected as mine. Of course they may mourn the loss of freedom under my despotic rule…But, small price to pay for the security I'll bring.

Geesh, folks are always calling for strong leadership in the modern world, right?

And no doubt my Mister will temper things… "Claudia don't kill that president…Claudia don't wipe out that population…" Well, gotta indulge the dear fellow…Sometimes…

"Claudia? Claudia…Did he hurt you?"

"Just my hand…" she offered the bloody hand… "And he…" tears running…

"Claudia…" Myka stared… "Oh, sweetheart…"

"Please call him…Call Artie…Please call Artie!..." Claudia, frantically…

"I will…I am…" she pulled her Farnsworth… "What did that bastard do to you, honey?!" Myka, pulling back…Eyeing…

Yes, a little frenzy to throw us off balance…

"I need Artie…Please…" sobbing…

"Yes, sure…Artie!...ARTIE!" Myka cried.

"Have you found him?! What?" Artie's anxious face.

"Artie, get down here…Now!" Myka, urgently.

Figure ten minutes to walk here plus two to get to the warehouse door and unseal…Twelve, maybe fourteen at tops.

Should be enough…

"I'm coming! Are you two ok?! Where's Pete and Jinks?!"

"After Paracelsus…I'm fine but Claudia…"

"What?! Claudia, what?!" anxious, then grimly so…

"I'm ok…" Claudia gave woebegone look to the screen…Slight calming… "But…Please come, Artie…Please…"

Gotta keep those relationship wheels spinnin' even in the midst of the plottin'…

"I'm on my way!…Just sit tight… I'll be there very soon."

"No teleports…He may have booby-trapped things…" she noted, hastily.

Gotta my twelve minutes at the very least…

"Ok, I'm coming…Just stay right there…"

"Ok…" forlorn tone. "Thanks…"

And Sir Arthur to the rescue…

Any mockery not only unintentional but punishable by death…Literally.

"Ok, it's ok…" Myka hugged the sobbing Claudia…

"I'm all right…Sorry…" wipe of tears… "It's just…When he…"she looked at Myka…

"He is so dead." Myka, coldly. "I'm not even gonna consider bronzing in my vote."

"Thanks…I'm ok…Let me just get hold of myself…" Claudia, calming…Catching breath…

"Sure…Sure…But he didn't hurt you…?"

"I'm ok…Just thought for a minute…" sigh…She glanced over to where the body lay under its invisible covering.

"Ok…" she gave a wan grin… "A little better now…" she stepped back a bit.

"Artie'll be here soon…"

"Yeah…Thank God…" she sighed.

Seriously…

"Oh…There's something I think he left behind…" Claudia noted…

"What? Where?"

"I'll get it…It's over here…" she moved to the boxlike device where Paracelsus had left it just under a shelf.

"I can get it…" Myka offered.

"No, no…I've got it…I can do it…"

Really… Quite the necessary distribution of effort, Ms. B…

She pulled the box out a bit, avoiding the invisible corpse under its cloak…

"What's that?" Myka stared.

"Not quite sure…" Claudia, carefully…

Where's the specified card…The one I set up…Ah…Great.

"Is that a copier?" Myka came closer…

"Sorta…But more like a quantum homing device…" Claudia noted.

Just making sure we're set properly...A tricky one…

"Are you?...Careful, Claudia…"

"Always, honey…" grin…As a blue light pulsed and Myka collapsing, vanished…

And reappeared seconds later…

Staring round…Gasping as Claudia rushed at her, scimitar in hand and at throat in a second…

"Quickly…Your life depends on it." Claudia, fiercely… "Who am I?...Who are you?...Where did you come from?"

"Claudia?..." frightened gasp. "It's me…From our world…You…" Myka, paralyzed with fear…

"Why are you here?...Quick!"

"You…You said…You said you'd get me out…If I helped you…Claudia…Did you…?"

"Who are you? Details…Come on…"

"Myka Bering…Your partner at the Warehouse…An agent…"

"Why did you have to 'get out'?"

"I…" nervous tremble… "Claudia, don't kill me…I said I'd help…If you…"

"Why?..."

"They were going to bronze us…Me…"

"Why…?" scimitar tight…

"I…Killed…"

"Ok…" she released her…Lowering scimitar.

"Whoever you are, you're close enough…Calm down, we haven't much time…Do you remember our plan?"

"The other one…Myka here…She's…Gone…?"

"Right now, in the bronzing chamber on our world…Or yours, at least, I'd say…" tight smile.

"And Pete?...You said…?"

"Good…You are either perfect or very close…Yeah, there's a Pete here…And prospects look good for you…If you do exactly as I say. Otherwise…Either they or I will kill you. Understand?"

"Yes…"

"Good…Now, Artie's coming any minute…The others, Pete and Jinks may be here in a second. I need you to get hold of yourself…Myka?!"

"Yeah? Yes…" frightened look.

"Your life depends on making these people believe you are their Myka Bering…Understand me? Now, I've an artifact here…" she held out the memory transfer glasses…

"What's this?"

"To catch you up on things here…Put them on, now…Myka!" she stepped back…

"Ok…Sorry…" Myka put the glasses on…A blue glow, followed by the memory stream from Claudia…

"Whoa…" Myka, staggering a bit…

"Ok? Do you understand? You're one of the leaders here…"

"Yeah…Claudia? I'm Secret Service? I was only an FBI trainee…"

"You have basics…Just wing it…This is the same basic set up…Warehouse 13, we go after missing artifacts…"

"And Pete's…Not…?"

"Not the same…No…"

"You promised me…You said…"

"I said, you'd have a chance…Concentrate on the memories…The case files…You have a good relationship already with him…Focus…"

"Oh…I see it…Wow…Oh…" smile… "Gee, he's really…Sweet…Oh…"

"Yeah, he's a teddy bear…And if you're a good girl and do just as I say…He's your teddy bear, got it?"

"Yeah…But…"

"Just follow my lead…Do whatever Artie tells you short of spilling the beans about us and our world…And avoid Jinks…He's nicer here but still has the same lie detector magic."

"Yeah…" vague nod… "I see that too, in my mind…He is nicer…And Artie's…"

"Alive, yeah…And the dork boys are nicer…But don't let that go to your head…Or anywhere else…Both of them will send you back or bronze you or worse if they find out…As will Artie…You understand me, Myka?"

"Yeah…Yeah sure…"

Light tone on the dark side is right…Claudia sighed, eyeing the copier…

Maybe the old pentagraph would've been better at that…Or Paracelsus' artist…

"And try to pull yourself together…You're supposed to be comforting me…Do you remember Paracelsus?"

"Sure…Yeah…He's from our place…Back in the Renaissance or something…But he was in trouble with the regents…Killed his own double from another universe…We had a deal…"

"No…I had a deal…You were allowed in for the ride if you followed orders…"

"Right…" sigh… "Oh…He…He's…"

"Dead…And the body's right over there…Invisible under a special artifact…" Claudia pointed.

"But he was going to help us…"

"No…He wasn't…He was going to use us, then at best put us in his harem or work camp or whatever you like. He was dangerous and I told you I would take him out as soon as I could…"

"Oh, right…" Myka nodded.

"Girl…I need a modicum of sharpness from you…Or I will send you back and try for a better…I have our world's settings and there's an infinite number of universes even within 99.999999999999% identicality of ours. You understand me?"

"I…Sorry, Claudia…Please…Please don't send me back…They'll kill me…Or worse…"

"Then lets act like Secret Service Agent turned crack Warehouse 13 Agent Myka Bering…Ok?"

"Ok…I was a good agent…I mean, Mrs. Fredericks said I had potential…And Pete said I was getting better…And Artie was so nice about…"

"Enough…Hug me and remember…You're comforting poor dear Claudia after the fiendish Paracelsus came with a breath of doing unspeakable things…Got it?

"Ok…"

"And if you don't know the answer to something, keep your mouth shut…I can help you as time goes on, ok?"

"Check."

"And remember…Pete is not Peter…He is not your boss, he's…Well, you'll see as you go along…Just don't treat him like some sort of petty demi-god, ok?"

"What about…Her?" Myka eyed her… "Cecily Georgiana…She's here, right…?"

"Not a problem…Not your problem and, focus…Her name is Henrietta…HG Wells here…She wrote her brother's books, not Herbert. And she is alive and kicking and happily with someone else and very much not interested in your Petey."

"Yeah…Oh, great…" Myka beamed.

"Yes, so don't go killing her again, ok?"

"Ok…Claudia…It was an accident…Sorta…You know…"

"As I recall there was a gun and bullets and a body dump in the Warehouse vortex…Was your version different?"

"No…But see…I didn't mean to shoot her, but when I saw her with Peter and he told me…About them…I kinda blacked out…Sorta…When we were going after Paracelsus, in the dark…"

I coulda tried a llttle more dark tone…It still woulda been within 99.999999% of my Myka…Claudia sighed.

"Oh, Claudia…" Myka grabbed her suddenly… "My poor honey…Poor Claudia…Hey, Ne…OW!" to kick…

"Artie…Not Neily…" hiss…As both looked at the anxious Arthur hurrying to them…

"…Artie…Claudia's ok, I think…" Myka, smiling nervously at his stricken face…

"God, it's nice to see you…" she beamed. Claudia in her grip repressing grim sigh…


	7. Chapter 7

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part VII…

Intense light…Pain…God, what a…Migraine? What?

"Malfunction!" harsh cry…

Jinks…Jinks' voice…

"Abort! We have another energy surge!"

"Can't we proceed?" stern voice…

"Not if you want her bronzed alive…"

"All right, shut it the hell down…Pull her out…"

Pete…Pete's voice…

"Pete…" she tried, vaguely… "I can't…"

"Open it up and get her out…Leena, check her out…Jinks, keep her covered! Get her back to confinement and then I want this system put back on line! Looks like someone got a temporary reprieve today." Bitter tone…

"Is she alive?"

"Mrs…Fredericks?" Myka, faintly…Trying to open her eyes…

"Lie still, Myka…" Leena's voice. "I'm going to give you a shot…The bronzer had a malfunction. Just be calm."

"Leena?" she managed to force her eyes open… "Leena?" she stared at the coolly professional woman in suit bending over her.

"Lie still…This won't hurt…" rub of exposed arm with alcohol pad, stick of needle…

"How is she?" Pete's voice…

She opened eyes to see a grim-looking Pete in suit and tie, coldly looking her over.

"She'll live." Leena, calmly.

"Get her to confinement…"

"Pete…" Myka gasped… "Where's…Claudia…? What happened?"

"Your friend's secure…Your bronzing failed. We'll do it asap. Sorry we have to put you through it twice. Take her…"

"Pete? Bronze me? Pete? Why?" she gasped.

"No contact with the prisoner, Jinks…That's an order." Pete turned to Jinks, likewise in suit, she saw…Jinks nodding… "Yes, sir."

"Wait…" Mrs. Fredericks stepped forward.

"Am I running this place or not, ma'am?" Pete eyed her coldly.

"Mr. Lattimer, there's no cause to be cruel…The girl is disoriented." She turned to the staring Myka, looking round, increasingly anxious… "Myka? The bronzer malfunctioned. We're going to send you back to your cell and try to repeat the process after repairs are made and we're sure you're able to tolerate it. Claudia's bronzing went safely…She's alive but we're concerned about the power surges. We won't try this again until we're sure it's…"

"I was in…Claudia…She…"

"Ah, here it comes again…" Pete, harsh glare…

"Myka? If you're trying to make another appeal…" Mrs. Fredericks, gently. "I can have it taken but…"

"No…Listen…" Myka reached up a hand…

"Put your hand down, Bering!" Pete called, sternly. "No unnecessary movement or I will have you sedated or Teslaed!"

"Pete…" she gasped… "You have to listen…To me…"

"What? You luv me?" he stared at her, grim set face… "Take her, now!"

"I'll see you in a little while, Myka." Mrs. Fredericks offered. "It will be all right…Just go with Leena and Jinks…"

"Come." Leena urged…Neither harshly nor kindly.

"You'd better use a chair…She's still weak." Mrs. Fredericks suggested.

"Fine…Get her a wheelchair." Pete eyed Jinks who nodded.

"Mrs. F? A word in my office?" he turned to Mrs. Fredericks…

She frowned but nodded and followed him…Myka staring at the two…Returning her gaze to Leena beside her.

"Leena…What's happening…?" Myka asked…Wanly… "You're alive…?"

"No talking…" Leena told her. "Just wait for your chair. Do you need some water?"

"Please…Leena? I don't understand…"

"Here…" Leena handed her a water bottle…Myka taking a sip…

"Thanks…Listen…"

"I said, no talking…" Leena frowned. "You heard Agent Lattimer."

"What is going on?...Leena? Claudia's bronzed? I don't understand…She…Did…"

"My orders are to sedate you if you don't stop, Bering." Leena eyed her. "Don't make me do that."

Myka, shaking head…

No…

This can't be…

…..

Artie eyed the two before him…Myka still holding Claudia…Claudia dabbing tears…

"So, you're ok? He didn't hurt you?"

"Just a cut…" she offered her bloodied hand…

"Oh…" Myka stared…

"It's not bad…Just bled a little…He wasn't really much with a sword…" Claudia, wan grin…

"And you wounded him, you think?" Artie, carefully…

"I got the scimitar away from him for a minute…I …I didn't want to hurt him, he's deranged Artie…Delusional…I think the artifacts have made him schizo or something…I don't think he even knows what he's doing now…Thanks, Mikes…" she turned to Myka.

Release now, sweetie…Come on…

"Ok…OK…" Artie nodded as Myka finally got the message and released Claudia from her embrace, maintaining sympathetic look…Occasional arm pat… "We'll get after him…"

"Jinks and Petey are on the trail now…" Claudia noted. "Maybe they can get to him if he's hurt. I hope I didn't really hurt him…I didn't mean to…I just wanted him to let go…I really thought for a min, he was gonna…"

"Oh, Claudia…" Myka patted…

"We'll get him…" Artie nodded. "Myka, you better take her back to section 1 with Mrs. Fredericks, that's the safest place for her now."

"Right." Eager nod.

"Well, wait…" Claudia, waving hand… "I wanna help…I'm ok, just let me get back to work…Nail that bastard…" she shook slightly.

"Go to section 1…" Artie commanded. "And Myka, get her something from the medicine chest in my office..The herbal tea there…"

"Herbal tea?..." Claudia sighed. "Artie…"

"It's a mild sedative…Now just go…That's an order."

"Come on, honey…" Myka, pulling at her…

"Ok, fine…But keep a girl in the loop, Nielsen…" Claudia, firmly…Wan smile to him at end. "I'll be ok…I'm fine."

"Just take it easy." He noted, sternly.

"And you be careful, big guy…" she smiled… "Please…?"

"Sure."

"Ok…Sedative…" she rolled eyes… "At least tell me there's cookies?"

"In the cupboard, middle shelf…"

"That's my boy…" grin. "Arthur, be careful." She eyed him firmly. "I couldn't bear bad news today, ok?"

"Ok…Go."

Not when things are going so very well…She thought…

The two set out…

"You ok? Wanna lean on me?" Myka offered…Hurt look at Claudia's frown…

"Tone it down, girl." She hissed.

"Just tryin' to do it right." Myka, a bit miffed.

"And keep clear of Mrs. F when we get there. Find something to do in the main office asap…Ok?"

"Sure…" sigh as they walked back…

"Is he really dead? Paracelsus?"

"As dead as we'll be if you don't watch it…" Claudia eyed her sternly, whispering… "Now stick to the script, Agent…"

"I'm sure we'll nail Paracelsus soon, Claudia…It'll be ok." Myka, raising voice. "And then everything will be back to normal…"

"Yeah…Thanks…" Claudia nodded.

"We should all take some leave after this…A vacation or something? You think Pete would like that?"

"I think we need to take down the mad guy first, honey…" Claudia whispered. "Please try and focus…Think square-jawed Pete as your role model."

"Oh, I don't think I could be as good as…" urgent hiss…Cut off by Claudia's harsh glare.

"Right. We should get on Paracelsus' trail asap." Raising voice.

"That would be good." Claudia, repressing sardonic tone as best she could.

The tools we must work with sometimes…


	8. Chapter 8

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part VIII…

Artie's office…

"Ok…Artie's sedative herbal tea…" Myka set the mug down before Claudia. "With honey, as you like it…"

"Thanks." Wan smile…

"So?..." Myka took a seat next to her… "How are we?"

"I believe cookies were mentioned…" Claudia eyed her…

"Right. One sec…" she rose.

Ummn…Pause…

"Should I refuse to fetch things for you? I mean, I supposed to be your superior, right?" she eyed Claudia, heavy whisper.

"Near mystic or real rape victim, mild hysteria, Myka in mother/nurse mode…What do you think, sweetie?" Claudia eyed her.

Ummn… "I'll get them for you, honey." Raised voice.

Claudia, eyes raised to ceiling…

Still, she is either my Myka or the 99.999999999% quantum equivalent…And I wanted my Myka, of the somewhat submissive, easily led persuasion.

Not really wishing to have to duke it out with some brilliant but fiendishly evil super Myka, thanks…

Though it would've been Donovan in three or four rounds at most…

"Here we go…Say, these look good…Just the ones Artie used to…" Myka, suddenly pensive…

"Mourn our personal dead later, sweetheart…" Claudia eyed her firmly. "We have to go over things before we seek the sheltering bosom of this world's Mrs. F."

In extensive detail, I've no doubt….

Myka chortling a bit…

Sheltering what?...God, Claudia…Giggle, repressed at Claudia's glare.

…

Section 15 corridor…

"Artie…I haven't seen hide nor hair of Paracelsus…" Jinks sighed. "And not even a sensation…"

"But I do got the hare…" Pete, triumphantly raising the captured Energizer bunny by the ears…

"Little fellow was feisty, but…" he beamed.

Uh…He quieted at Artie's glare…

"I want this maniac found, gentlemen." He said, grimly. "If we have to dismantle the Warehouse row by row, stall and shelf by stall and shelf…I want him found."

Buzz of Farnsworth…

"Claudia?"

"Hey…" warm beam… "How's me personal pharmacist/pusher? I'm sipping down your natural Valium…" she raised tea cup to view.

"Hi, Artie!" Myka, cheery wave. "She's much better, we're about to go to Mrs. Fredericks…And those cookies are great!"

"Alls well in Myka and Claudia land, to cut to the chase…" Claudia noted. "Any luck with the hunt, Squire Nielsen?"

"Hey, Claud…All better?" Pete, eagerly.

"Pete!" Myka, beaming… "You're ok?!"

"Fine, Mikes…Thanks for askin'…" pleased smile.

"Sure…" warm beam…

"Family day…" Claudia shrugged to the image of a frowning Arthur. "So?..."

"Nothing yet…"

"Well…" Pete cut in…

"Right. Pete here nailed your bunny." Artie, grim frown.

"Excellent, Elmer…" Claudia grinned. "Well done…So…Did he grab the batteries?"

"Nope…And no more holograms as yet…" Pete, rather proudly. "I'd say we put his lights somewhat out…A bit more, anyway…"

"Aw…It is a win, Nielsen…" Claudia smiled to Artie's glare. "Give the little fellow his well-earned due…Oh, I have the printout from my search…Just a mo and I'll send it to you there." She moved over to the computer.

"Ha, ha…" Myka beamed… "Oh, guys, this is just like…" she paused. Uh…

"The great days before we lost poor Leena…" Claudia cut in, hurrying back…Quick, woebegone look… "We were just talking about her…File's on your way…"

Well…I just was reminding the dear brain-dead girl for the third time that the poor thing's dead here…And was not the junior female Peter Lattimer in suit clone we knew.

"Yeah…" Myka, hastily. "I guess I was getting' all pensive…Sorry to be a downer, guys."

Ok, not bad…Claudia's careful look said.

No, don't smile now, moron…

"Would you two finish your tea break and get over to Mrs Fredericks before Paracelsus or I kill you…?" Artie urged. "Thanks for the list, we'll check it out."

"On our way, without delay, mon captaine…" Claudia, saluting. "Thanks for that checkin' in reminder alarm buzz, you." Sly grin…

The Farnsworth went out…

"She seems good…" Pete noted, pleased.

And so nice of her to note my little hunting triumph…He beamed.

And Myka…That was so nice of her, too.

You know, if we weren't dealing with a mad menace to Humanity and the Universe in general this would be one red letter day for one Lattimer, he thought happily.

"Yeah…She does." Artie frowned. "Jinks? Did you sense anything?"

"About what you'd expect, she was keeping a general front…No direct lies, that I could tell over the Farnsworth anyway…"

"Ok, we'll assume things are stable at that end for the time being. Now…" Artie frowned, scanning Claudia's list of artifacts…

Pete a bit nonplused… "You thought she'd lie to you?"

"We have to assume Paracelsus had something in mind when he attacked her…Especially given he's done it twice now." Artie, calmly. "Would you prefer I hope everything's hunky-dory and wait to find Paracelsus or some old girlfriend has taken up residence in her or left subliminal commands?"

"Right…I get the point." Nod.

"Great. Now, can we see if Claudia's search uncovered any…? Hmmn…93% chance Rashid's cloak is not actually present. 89% chance the scimitar of Omar likewise."

"'Not actually present'…What does that mean, Artie?" Pete stared.

"85% chance the armor of Achilles is no longer where it should be…It means, Agent Lattimer, that Paracelsus found a way to take artifacts without leaving a trace…Or rather…"

"Leaving a false trace…" Jinks finished… Holding the label for the said "Armor of Achilles"…

"But it's right there..." Pete noted, reaching for the armor on the shelf…His hand passing through…

"Hologram?..."

"In part…Only better…A residual artifact trace included to fool the security system." Artie noted…Examining the pad on which the image of the armor lay. "Very nice indeed." He nodded.

"To be expected, from a caretaker…" Pete, shrewd nod.

"Actually, I'd expect better…" Artie shook head. "From a caretaker of Paracelsus' experience and skill…I'd expect us all dead and the Warehouse in his grip. Something is not right."

"What?" Pete…Jinks…

Us not being dead and beat is…"Not right"?

…

Section 1…

"Mrs. Fredericks?" Claudia, carefully, to the seated Mrs. Fredericks as she entered the section. Myka following…Cautiously.

"Claudia…Agent Bering…" nod.

"Mrs. Fredericks." Myka, nodding.

Firm stare, look her in the eye like Claudia said…Don't panic…She trusts you. She is not going to bronze you or call in guards…

"Are you all right, Claudia? Arthur's told me of Paracelsus' attacks…"

"Yeah…Fine…" shrug. "Just wish he'd give some reason for what he's doing."

"I should go join the fellas and see if I can help…" Myka noted.

"Certainly, Agent…" Mrs, Fredericks nodded. "Claudia will be fine with me…"

Made it…Phew…Wait…

Acid test…Right…

"Uh…No offense, Mrs. Fredericks…" she hesitated.

"Yes, Agent?"

"I should check you…Just to be sure, you know? That you're not our guy…Paracelsus…In disguise? Seeing as he's so obsessed with Claud…Claudia…"

Claudia, slightest of supportive glances…Well done, moron.

"That's wise…Please go ahead." Mrs. Fredericks nodded. "No offense taken…"

"Right…Uh…"

"The energy orb set to Paracelsus' aura…?" Claudia offered. "I think it's the best way to test…"

"Right…" nod…Pulling the orb Claudia had passed to her back in the office during their "review"…

"You're clear…" solemn look.

Great…Now, get lost, sweetie…Claudia stared.

"Well done, Agent." Mrs. Fredericks nodded. "Tell Arthur I'll keep Claudia safe. Be careful going to the others…"

"Right." Pleased nod, turning to exit…

Mrs. F always did like me…Till things got a little…Confused…Inward sigh.

But love does things to you…Look at Claud over poor Artie…

"Yes, be careful, Myka. And please keep an eye on Artie…?" Claudia called.

"Oh, sure…Take care. Goodbye, Mrs Fredericks."

"Myka." Nod.

Careful stare at Claudia… "Have a seat, Miss Donovan."

"So…" Claudia, nervous smile…Taking seat.

"You should know I've arranged for additional help…In case we fail to locate Paracelsus." Mrs. Fredericks noted quietly.

"Really…" Claudia…Hesitant…

This could be it…What I was waiting for…

"The Regents are coming for a convocation. Provided I deem the situation is safe enough."

God bless you, sweetheart…Beam. "That's great, Mrs. Fredericks…But…" worried look. "Is that safe? To gather the Regents with Paracelsus here?"

"Better than letting him pick me off, then each of them, one by one, dear."

"I see…But you beat him…"

"I held him off the first time…I might not be so lucky in a second attack."

I see…Still, the ole lady has something…She wouldn't risk the whole shebang like this unless she knew she could protect them…Or the sit was so bad…

…And while not promising…Technically…Though thanks to lil' ole me in reality, battle in fact, won…We're not yet at DefCom 4.

Lets just hope Myka is up to the challenge of provoking such a jump…

…

Confinement cell…

"Look, you people have got this all wrong!" Myka hollered from behind the bars. "I don't belong here…I'm not your Myka Bering! Jinks!..." she called to the agent in dark suit, staring impassively at her….

"You can prove it…I'm not your Myka…See? Not a lie."

"The only thing that proves is that you had great teachers in Paracelsus and Claudia, Myka." Jinks, quietly.

"Jinks!" she cried.

"Lets not play this game again, Bering. I'm not interested, I've heard it all…You were a tool of Claudia Donovan, she and her pal led you astray…They 'did something' to you…The same old song and with Claudia's little self-hypnosis trick, you can make yourself believe it." He put up a hand. "I admit my arrogance led me to think I couldn't be fooled once. Thank God Peter Lattimer is no fool." Glare. "Now. if you want anything as to food or drink, something to read, I'll pass it on…Otherwise."

"I'm not trying to fool you and I'm not making excuses! Jinks, somehow I was sent here, from my world…Claudia…" she stared. "No…It couldn't have been Claudia…Paracelsus…In her form or controlling her or…"

"Tell it to Fredericks when she comes…She's a sweet ole lady, she'll probably be willing to listen." Cold tone. Pausing just before turning away…"But let me tell you, Bering." Icy, grim stare. Cold repressed anger in tone… "The days when people like you could betray and murder good people and threaten the world and soft-hearted fools like Mrs. Fredericks and her Regents would let it happen are coming to an end, thanks to Agent Lattimer. And this place is going to be protected…Properly." He turned and walked off, signaling for the quietly waiting Leena to let him out.

Thanks to …? She stared after him…Catching Leena's glance for a second before Leena, ignoring her, turned away and closed the outer door.


	9. Chapter 9

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part IX…

Section 3…Original Warehouseverse…

Where Myka was currently pondering her instructions from Claudia…

Was it Section 3…Or…?

Yes…Section 3…The top row…Next to…Something…She looked up, scanning.

Mrs. Fredericks was so nice…A little less smiley, maybe…But…Ah, there…

Next to Annie Oakley's reading/shooting glasses…

Paracelsus' automatic controller for the holograms…Where better to hide than among some secure artifacts?

Hmmn…Remote control for battery-powered holograms…He picked up a lot in his time here in our era, poor guy. I still can't even program my DVD player…

I wonder if my counterpart here…Well, check later…

Ok…Now what was it she said? It'll need…Something…Something…

Oh, yeah…Batteries, right…

She fumbled in her trouser pockets for the various batteries Claudia, not sure of size, had made her take along…Got 'em…

Need something to stand on…There's a box…Great…She pulled the box over…

"Now, come to Mama…" she reached for the controller. Ummn…Can't quite…Got it…Got it…

"Whoa! Ahhhh!..." she fell with a cry.

Ooops…She rose with groan to knees…Eyeing the fallen controller…

Don't be broken…Don't be broken…Don't be broken…

I don't wanna be bronzed…And this Pete really seems to like me…She fumbled with the batteries, not AA…Not D...Ok, C…Yeah…

Yes! She saw a red light come on…

Showtime, folks…She beamed…Showtime…Showtime…At the Warehouse 13 café…

Like that song from the "Baghdad Café" movie with the woman who looked a lot like a younger Mrs. F…

…..

Alternate Warehouseverse…Temporary Confinement area…

"Leena…Hear me out, please…" Myka, desperately to the Leena who'd entered the outer cell area to ask if she had any requests…

Making it quite clear by tone that she meant… "Last requests"…

"Lady, you had your hearing. Not even Mrs. Fredericks believed your evasions…" Leena put up a hand. "Look…" thin smile. "I get it…Little Leena, dupe of MacPherson…The easy mark, the one who'll trust anyone. The sweet idiot." Cold glare. "No more, honey…Now, do you want anything or no?"

"I want someone to listen to me for a second…There's something going on that could destroy both our worlds, I think."

"Say…I saw that on 'Fringe'." Mocking tone, ironic smile. "So you're like…Alternate Myka?"

"Actually…Yeah…" Myka frowned. "And if you don't listen to me…Your Myka is going to escape permanently and do…Whatever it is she does…With Paracelsus, and I think now, your Claudia."

"Oh…With 'our Claudia'…I see." Leena nodded, sagely. "I'd sure like to see that…Seeing our Claudia is currently a hunk of bronze."

"What? No…Wait." Myka, blinking… Oh my God… "No, no…Not your Claudia!…Ours!…That's our Claudia in bronze. Yours escaped, to my world with Paracelsus."

"With a dissolved hunk of bronze, you mean?" cold smile. "Paracelsus is dead, Myka. The process screwed up during a power surge somehow and his bronze dissolved to ashes, we told you that before. Now, lets stop this nonsense, ok? Try and come up with something a little more reasonable for Mrs. Fredericks…You'll need it. The bronzer should be cleared for use by tomorrow morning. Just enjoy that we're humane and trying to be cautious. 'Cause some of us, honey?…Wouldn't bother to be so scrupulous about your safety."

"That's it…He's alive…In our world…" Myka stared. "Leena…You had the wrong one…It must have been the good Paracelsus…I mean the one who was appointed caretaker…In our world. He wasn't here, was he? A caretaker?"

Chuckle…"Come on…We all know the story, Myka…After decades of service the good and noble Paracelsus goes mad, like so many others workin' here…Turns maniac criminal, kills his friends and family in gruesome experiments to try to gain immortality. But a nice addition to the tale…I'll tell the guys later."

"Leena…"

"One last time…Do you want anything before I go? Mrs. Fredericks will be seeing you at 8, you can tell her all the wild stories you want then."

"Could I make a call?" she stared.

"You had your call to your mother…No others are allowed. Anything else?"

"Mom…? I didn't speak to Dad, too?"

Cocked head, sardonic "Please?" look…

"Honey. We both know poor little Myka lost her daddy years and years ago…And we all still feel real bad for the poor waif…Just as we feel for your poor little whore of a friend, Claudia and her terrible life on the street with her pimp brother. Nice to know the gratitude she felt for her rescue. I have to go now…Anything else?"

"I need my medication…"

Stare… "What?"

"For the cancer…I have ovarian cancer…I take some pills for countering the first stages of the chemotherapy. I don't want to be sick now."

"I've never heard this…" Leena eyed her. "If you're trying to pull something…"

"Never mind then…It won't be there…" Myka waved. "Just, anything for an upset stomach…"

"I'll check on this…If it's true I'll get you medication…But if you're lyin' again…"

"It probably won't be in my record…It's not me…" Myka shrugged.

Wait…

…..

Original Warehouseverse…

Section 15…

Artie pondering…Pete and Jinks eyeing each other…

Us dead would be "right"? Still leaving them a bit…

"Paracelsus wants to reclaim the Warehouse. He attacked but lost to the current caretaker, Mrs. Fredericks, but did weaken her…A good deal, but a single strike not a sustained attack. He then physically attacks Claudia, the potential caretaker, twice but leaves no apparent aftereffects, risking exposure even though he'd carefully eluded our efforts to find him." Artie noted carefully…Eyeing the two agents.

"He needed a distraction…If he's going to recharge and hit Mrs. F again…" Jinks suggested. "He distracts us with an attack on Claudia and then can recharge before we can detect him and cut him off."

"Possible, but he hasn't done it…Why?"

"Good question…" Paracelsus appeared, beaming at them in his robe… "Perhaps because it's nothing to do with my plans, Artie…Arthur…"

He vanished…

The three looking at each other…

"I've offered to negotiate, gentlemen…" Paracelsus, now at the opposite end of the section… "I'm still open to the same…I warn you that my next attack will harm the girl."

"And as for the current caretaker…" another Paracelsus, directly in front of Jinks… "She will not survive. Accept my generous terms, gentlemen and save your friends while you can. Vacate my house!"

Both disappeared…

Pete hurrying down to the first appearance…Tesla pulled…Looking round intently. "Nothing here, Artie!"

"I thought he was running low on power?" Jinks asked. Watching as Artie extended an antenna from his Farnsworth…

"These holograms are just for vainglorious show, batteries aren't that hard to come by." Artie shrugged, fussing with the Farnsworth's controls.

"Yeah, but he must be broadcasting from somewhere around here…" Pete, coming back to them, noted.

"Unless…" Jinks eyed them… "Maybe he's not even in the Warehouse?"

"The broadcasts are on a standard wavelength…And the Warehouse blocks transmissions from outside partially naturally and with intent, for security. The transmissions are therefore coming from inside…But…" Artie smiled. "Not necessarily from Paracelsus in the Warehouse."

"But he was here, right? He attacked Mrs. F and Claudia and took artifacts. A hologram can't do that." Pete noted.

"He was here…" Artie nodded. "But I've my doubts that he still is here…"

"Recorded holograms…?" Jinks eyed him. "He's got what he wanted and left? And now is throwing us off the trail with phony manifestations?"

"How do you know he's gone, Artie?" Pete asked.

"Because…Gentlemen…" Paracelsus smiling before them… "I was never here…"

Echoing Artie's voice…

The two agents staring at each other, then Artie…

"I'm transmitting on his frequency…In effect I've jacked into his holograph system." Artie grinned.

Paracelsus grinning as well…

Another appeared, just down the corridor…

"Very nice…But not quite enough…" Paracelsus, frowning. "You have my ultimatum thing, my ultimatum, don't risk my wrath." Glare…

Vanishing…

Ultimatum thing…? Jinks stared…

"So…He wasn't here but he was?" Pete stared at Artie.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. A Paracelsus was here…But not the caretaker…Not the man who ran Warehouse 9. I was suspicious before, especially when he pulled back after hitting Mrs. Fredericks but now I'm sure."

"So…What?" Jinks, blinking at Artie… "A double…A robot? Automaton, given his time? An agent using his holograms?"

"How can you be sure he wasn't here, Artie?" Pete, frowning.

"Let me explain…The man who was here…Who attacked Mrs. Fredericks and Claudia…Was never a caretaker, though clearly very powerful and familiar with a good deal of the Warehouse's set up. A caretaker, even a rogue caretaker, would know better than to waste effort taking what he took when the real power of the Warehouse is in the generalized energy here…A caretaker learns how to tap that immediately."

"But, Artie…" Jinks shrugged. "He used that energy to attack Mrs. Fredericks as soon as he got in…Nearly cut her off from it."

"He knew to collect power and hurl it like tossing a big club…But he didn't understand how to control it properly or store it…A caretaker would know that…You can't survive not knowing it. He'd be attacking as long as the Warehouse was operational, and he'd win because he could attack Mrs. Fredericks and she'd have to protect multiple areas...She'd have to give in eventually. And then he disrupts the potential power flow by grabbing a few artifacts that could never have protected him from Mrs. Fredericks? Fellas, I can't put it in simpler terms but no caretaker would be so sloppy. This enemy of ours was never a caretaker. And I think, he's gone…Fled maybe…But gone…For now."

"Ok…He wasn't Paracelsus. A minion guy, maybe? Paracelsus' stooge, trying to weaken Mrs. F then Paracelsus storms in for the big one?" Pete suggested.

"It could be…" Artie nodded. "If so he's taking his time…"

"Very good…" Paracelsus reappeared, standing on a shelf, hanging… "And quite right, I'm biding my time. And you have only…" the figure fell…

"OW!..." the hologram groaned… "OH…I think I broke…"

Uh… "Fear my wrath, Niely…Nielsen!" vanishing…

Myka on floor in section 3, groaning…

Had to get fancy, hanging from that shelf…

"Interesting…" Artie eyed the spot where the image had been.

"What was that?" Pete stared…

"More important, Agent Lattimer…What was it not?" Artie noted. "Clearly someone is operating the holograph system and they are still in the Warehouse…And transmitting on a frequency I've located."

Gentlemen? He eyed them…

"…as in…We can locate them." He explained to their stares. "Farnsworths…Set them to this frequency…And set your receivers to lower volume."

"And as we close in…" Jinks nodded. "We'll hear him…Or whoever…Better…"

"And if we close in from three positions…?" Artie eyed them in turn.

"Triangulation…" Jinks smiled.

"Go…Jinks, you move to Section 11…Pete, you to Section 21…I'll stay here and that should put us in at three points from our friend whichever area he's in."

"Artie? What if this is the distraction and Paracelsus is going to attack…Now?" Pete, anxiously.

"Claudia and Mrs. Fredericks are together, they'll let us know if an attack begins…But I doubt there'll be one just yet."

"What about Myka? I know…That's a square but still…"

"No time and we can't risk a transmission…Go! We may not have much time!"

"Artie?" Jinks paused. "Why didn't Mrs. Fredericks warn us about this? That she couldn't protect herself and the Warehouse against a direct attack like this for long?" he stared. Light dawning as Artie eyed him…

"She couldn't…But Claudia…"

"While she was defending the Warehouse and dying…Claudia could take up her caretaker position and use the full energy to attack Paracelsus, catching him in two fires, yes." Artie nodded.

"Is that why…?"

"If Paracelsus was attacking Claudia to stop her from stepping into the caretakership, he should have killed her. Even rendering her unconscious wouldn't have been enough, Mrs. Fredericks could have reached her even in an unconscious state. He should have killed her if he wants the Warehouse, a caretaker would know that. There's no other reason to attack her if he were a former caretaker. But he isn't and that slipup proves it." Artie smiled. "And now, please? Lets find out who is in here and if they can tell us where Paracelsus or whoever he really is, is."

"Artie…" Jinks stared. "You let Claudia…Knowing…"

"I was fairly sure, Mr. Jinks…But yes, I let her go out alone…I risked Claudia to confirm what I suspected. And if he had tried to kill her, Mrs. Fredericks would have sensed it, transferred the guardianship temporarily and while Claudia was defending herself before her death, destroyed Paracelsus while he was fighting Claudia."

Long stare…

"Well…I guess you must have been pretty sure." Jinks, hard glare…

"Pretty sure, Mr. Jinks." Nod. "Go, now, please."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

"So you understand?" Mrs. Fredericks eyed Claudia. "I didn't bring you here to protect you…"

"But to bop Paracelsus if he hits you again before the cavalry, the Regents, get here? I get it, ma'am." Wry smile…

And counted on it…

"So…How do I?"

"It's not how do you, but when do I." stern look. "When I'm dying and sure to lose…I will transfer guardianship over to you…For a very brief period…Very brief…We will both have access to the energy field generated by the artifacts. You must ignore my situation and attack Paracelsus while I keep him occupied. Claudia? Can you do that?"

Abandon you to take control here? Well…It will be hard but…

"Is that why he attacked me?" Claudia stared. "To prevent me from helping you defend the place?"

"I imagine so…" frown. "But it puzzles me why he didn't kill you. He must know you being alive is the greatest threat to him."

"Sorry if my not dying's got you wondering…" Claudia stared.

"Arthur's doubted Paracelsus' history for a while now…His sudden aberrant behavior, his gaps in knowledge of the Warehouse…"

"He's seemed pretty knowledgeable to me…Ma'am." Claudia, carefully.

"Not for a caretaker…I have to agree with Arthur there…"

"Maybe he has an assistant...Acting for him, feeling us out, while he watches..."

"A definite possibility." Nod.

"Say…?" stare… "You two weren't by any chance expecting Paracelsus to kill me?"

"We expected…He'd try…And I would have defended you. Helped you defend yourself, at least."

"Artie let me…When would you have 'defended' me? After he cut my throat?"

"We're both at risk, Miss Donovan. And I am no more anxious to have my throat cut than you." Stare. "Claudia, you have to believe I wouldn't let you die…And Arthur wouldn't…For nothing…I would have been there to help you if your life was in jeopardy. And I would have done all I could to defend you. Including giving up my own…"

"But…My life was in…"

"No, child…Believe me, I would know…We are linked, now, Claudia…You and I…I would know if your life truly was in jeopardy."

Unless of course…Claudia thought, a bit smugly…Another Claudia was in place to keep up the linkage…

"So why didn't he try to kill me?" she stared.

"As you say…Maybe this incursion is being made by an assistant…Not Paracelsus…Or…Perhaps Mr. Nielsen's suspicions are correct and this is not the Paracelsus we thought…Not a former caretaker…"

"Whoa…"

"Don't worry…" Mrs. Fredericks patted her hand.

Claudia taking hers…

"Claudia?" she stared at her…

"Yes? Mrs. Fredericks?"

"What is that?...That…"

"Ma'am?"

"Screaming…I heard screaming…"

"I'm sure I don't know, ma'am…" she held her hand tightly… "But maybe if we concentrate…You can hear better…"

"Claudia…"

"I mean…We are linked, and I am the next caretaker…Ma'am…Forgive me if I'm jumping the gun a bit…"

"Oh…" groan…

"Are you all right, Mrs. F.? Should I call Arthur?"

"Claudia…I hear…Claudia!" she stared at the wry smiling, cold face…Hand in vise grip now…

"My screams?...Yeah, I guess you can…But just as you heard mine and didn't save me…You can't save her now…Ma'am." Hard stare…

"Pity Paracelsus' attack weakened you…" smile. "You might have been able to hold me off. But he served his purpose well, poor guy. See, you're right that one wasn't a caretaker…But he did have a potential one to advise him…"

OH!...

"Artie!" Claudia had opened her Farnsworth with her free hand… "Mrs. Fredericks…We're being…Artie!" she cried, dropping the Farnsworth.

"I do want…" she groaning now as well… "…you to know…This hurts me…Almost as much…Literally…OH…" she gasped. "You're one tough mother, I gotta hand it…To you…But…The torch…Has to be…Passed…"

Mrs. Fredericks collapsed in her chair…

"…sometime…" Claudia, gasping…Fainting a moment later.


	10. Chapter 10

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part X…

Alternate Warehouseverse…

"Leena? You're bothering me with this now? Myka has yet another con story?" Peter stared at the agent before him.

One whom he'd come to hope had learnt a thing or two from him in her time with him…But now…

"Sir, she claims to have ovarian cancer…"

"And she's pregnant, right? So, please…Don't bronze me!" sarcastic tone.

"She says we won't find it in our Myka's medical records or blood samples, if we have access to any…But she'll show positive. Because she's not our Myka…Sir."

He eyed her.

"Sir. It's not hard to verify. And if a criminal is escaping justice…Somehow…"

"Jinks?" he looked over to Jinks standing quietly next to Leena. "You've talked to her…"

"She hasn't lied to me…That I can tell…But Myka's fooled me before with Claudia's self-hypno trick."

"Mr. Lattimer." Leena, urgently. "If she's telling the truth, we can know in a few hours. The test is simple."

"She's simply trying to avoid her sentence. Myka Bering's proved to be an excellent liar…Almost as good as she is at murder."

"Sir…If you don't test her…Cecily's murderess could escape." Leena noted quietly. "And she claims the Claudia in bronze here isn't our Claudia…That she escaped to her world as well."

"Really? So lets release the most dangerous foes the Warehouse has ever encountered…Most dangerous because we trusted them…Loved them…And they betrayed us…Betrayed everything we stand for…And tried to help that maniac Paracelsus escape…"

"Sir…" Jinks sighed. "I agree with you. I think the woman is lying. But it won't do any harm to test…And if she might be telling the truth…Pete." Wan smile…

Lattimer…Hard stare…

"We've seen a lot of strange things since we signed on here…" Jinks shrugged.

….

Original Warehouseverse…

"Artie?" Myka stared at her Farnsworth…

"Claudia and Mrs. Fredericks may have been attacked, Myka! Get to them as fast as you can! We're on our way!"

"Yes, sure!..." she nodded.

Oh, God…She looked away…

I never wanted this…I didn't ask for this…I was a good person before I came here…There, I mean…

But…What can I do, now? Like Claudia says…Who'd believe my story?

And even if they listened… I did…Kill…

Even if it was for love…I killed…

And if it ends here…Now…And Claudia can do what she said…

And this Pete…This sweet Pete…Who does love me too…I'm sure of it…

It's only a little more than what I've already done…

And one day, far from now, over there…They'll let the other one out…Debronze her, learn the truth…And she'll see the future…

Maybe it'll even be very nice…Maybe she'll be happier there than I will be here…

What else can I do, now?...Except go forward…

And hope Claudia can do what she says…What she promised…

She turned and headed back…

….

"Artie? Shouldn't we come too…?" Jinks, image on Farnsworth…

"No!…No…Both of you stay and complete the mission…Try to find the focal point of the holographic transmissions. Myka and I'll take care of Claudia and Mrs. Fredericks…"

"Artie…" Pete's anxious face now…

"For God's sakes lets try and stick to the program and stop letting this mad man call the shots!" Artie raged. "Now go and do as I say!"

"Artie?..." Myka's image on small screen…He expanded it.

"They're unconscious…Both of them…What should I do?!"

"Stay with them…Try to revive them, but gently…Do not try anything until I get there unless they seem to be going into cardiac arrest! I'll be there in a few minutes! And Myka! If Paracelsus shows, shoot him! And don't miss!"

"Ok!" she nodded. Looking at the two unconscious forms in their chairs…

Claudia, slight moan…Mrs. Fredericks, still…

Ok…Just like Artie says…Gently…

It's nothing Claudia didn't say to do…

….

Alternate Warehouseverse…Confinement area…

Myka wincing as blood is drawn from her right arm…Leena pulling tube, then removing needle quickly…Applying gauze with pressure…

"Hold this for a minute…Press tight." Leena commanded. Myka holding gauze on the needle site.

"Ok…" Peter nodded as Leena held the blood tube up to him. "Have it processed immediately."

"Thanks." Myka eyed him.

"This won't keep you out of that bronzer, Bering." He replied, coolly. "If you're lying and I'm sure you are…All this does is prove what you are…" icy stare.

"Fine." She nodded. "I assume my medical records here don't show me positive for cancer?"

"No." he said, curtly.

"Then we'll see."

"Yeah."

"And if I test positive for cancer?"

"Hardly proves anything…" he eyed her. "Just that no one else knew but some doctor you found…"

"I see…I'd find I have cancer and keep it a secret from competent medical help?"

"Donovan could have offered you a cure…You might have used an artifact to induce it…Gain sympathy. You're good at that." Peter eyed her tensely.

"She hurt someone…" Myka eyed him… "The other me…Who? I haven't seen Artie, did she hurt him? Did she kill him?"

"Leena? Let me know when the test results are in. Jinks, what is the condition of the bronzer?"

"Yes, sir." Leena nodded and headed out of the confinement cell with the sample in a carrying basket. Pausing at the outer exit.

"The bronzer is cleared for use, sir." Jinks said. "But the team recommends the full overnight test, to be sure."

"At 8 am I want the sentence carried out." Peter said, calmly…Eyeing Myka. "No delays unless another malfunction appears, Jinks. If Mrs. Fredericks appeals this, tell her I take full responsibility."

"Yes, sir." Jinks nodded. Moving to the entrance.

"If you bronze me, you lose any chance of stopping whatever the other one is doing in my world…" Myka noted. "And whoever she hurt here…She gets away with it. Thanks to you, Pete."

"You heard my order, Mr. Jinks?" Peter called, ignoring her.

"Yes, sir." Jinks nodded, signaling the guard to let him out.

"Mrs. Fredericks is coming to see you…" Peter eyed Myka. "I'd make it good…" he turned and headed out.

She staring after him a moment, then at the nearest wall…Closing eyes.

….

Original Warehouseverse…

Section 1…

"Artie…Thank God…" Myka sighed, hurrying to him…Hugging…

"They're breathing but…"

"Ok…Ok…" he patted her… "Lets take care of them and it'll be ok… Come on…"

He went to Claudia, moving her head gently, opening an eye…

"My bag…Myka?!"

She carried the bag over, hastily…

"Go and call Dr. Calder…Myka?"

"Who?..."

"Vanessa…Myka? This isn't the time to fold up on me! Her number's on my desk under my emergency numbers list…Go!"

"Yeah, sure…Sorry…" she hurried out…

He shined a light in Claudia's opened eye…Turning her head.

Wincing at Claudia's sudden tremor…A minor convulsion…

"Claudia…" he sighed… "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry…" he pulled her head to one side and gave a hard slap…

"Come on, Claudia…" he eyed her…Reaching for the bag…

Pulling out a syringe and a vial…Then a needle in sterile pouch which he opened and screwed on to the syringe, then plunged the needle into the vial.

"Artie!..." Myka had returned. "I called her…Vanessa…She's coming as fast as she can…Should we get 911? She told me to check with …"

"No! Those fellows wouldn't know what they're dealing with here…No, we'll have to handle them till Vanessa gets here…" Artie insisted. "Go and check Mrs. Fredericks' pulse…"

"Right…" she nodded.

Lets see…I remember this from basic training…Yeah… She grabbed the limp right wrist and felt…

Wincing as she caught sight of Artie suddenly plunging his needle into Claudia's chest…

Oh…She gulped… "Artie?! What's that?!..."

"It's adrenalin…I'm trying to restart her heart…"

"What?!"

"Just check that pulse, Myka…Can you find one?!"

"Uh…Yes…Very faint…"

Claudia? Dead? No…Oh, no…

What'll I do?...Who'll tell me what to do here?

Still…She pondered…Eyeing Mrs. Fredericks slightly moving chest…

It could make things…Easier…

But what if Mrs. Fredericks lives? And knows, now…

Coughing sound, Claudia moving slightly…

Phew…

I guess…

"Claudia? Claudia?!" Artie, shaking her slightly.

"Arthur?" she gasped… "Oh…My Arthur…?"

"Claudia?"

"Oh, darling…" she blinked… Uh…

"Thank God…" he sighed. "Ok, just lie still…I've got to help Mrs. Fredericks…" he rose.

Myka blinking…

Uh…

Help? Mrs. Fredericks?

But Claudia said…

"I'll take her…" Artie told her, gently… "You go help Claudia now…"

"Artie…" Claudia, gasping… "Paracelsus…"

"Just lie still…" he called. "Let Myka help you. Mrs. Fredericks? Ma'am…" he called.

God, is she going to kill me for this…He sighed…Pulling a second needle…

"Myka? I need you here after all…" he called her over.

"Artie?" she came over…Staring at the limp body… "Is she…?"

"Open her blouse…" he sighed…Trying to look away…

Uh…She glanced over to Claudia who eyed her…A weary stare but a firm one…

"Ok…" she fumbled at the blouse as Artie prepared another syringe…

"Back!..." he ordered her…

Oh, God…She looked away as Artie plunged the needle on syringe into the chest…

Sudden gasp from Mrs. Fredericks…Ahhh…Uhhhh…Heaving motion…

I can't…I can't stay…Myka rose…

If she wakes up and…

"Myka. Help me, please." Claudia, calmly…

"She's better…" Artie noted…

"Myka?" Claudia, gently but firmly. Myka reluctantly turning to her…

"Mrs. Fredericks? Mrs. Fredericks? I'm sorry…" Artie, solemnly…Slapping hard.

"She won't wake up…" Claudia hissed. "I'm the caretaker now…She'll stay in her coma…Just relax and follow my lead…Myka?!"

"Ok…" Artie sighed… "Her heart rate is steady if weak…Claudia?"

"We..Were…"

"No, not now, sweetheart…Later…" he shook his head. "Just rest…You'll gonna need it… Rest…"

"Ok…"

"Good job there, sweetheart." He smiled at her…

She grinned faintly, then closed her eyes…

"So…Mrs. Fredericks?" Myka turned to him…

"I think she'll live but she's in a comatose state…It's the usual thing when caretaker authority transfers and normal…As normal as this sort of thing can be…" he shrugged.

"Will she wake up?" Myka, pasting concerned look, anxious tone…

"Not while the power rests with Claudia…" he sighed. "But we'll deal with that later…For now, lets just be grateful they both survived this one."

"Yeah…Things worked out…Ok…" Myka, wan smile to him…

"Lets hope so…" he nodded.


	11. Chapter 11

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XI…

Alternate Warehouseverse…

Confinement area…Secure interrogation room…

"Is there anything you want?" kindly tone…

Myka, handcuffed and ankle-shackled, in chair at table…

Across from her, the questioner…Mrs. Fredericks…

"To go home would be nice…" Myka eyed her.

"I presume you mean, to your other world…?" careful stare… "I've been briefed by Agent Jinks on what you've been claiming."

"Right now, being the infamous lying Myka Bering just going to my home here would be fine…See my Mom." Myka signed.

"I'm sorry but you know that's not possible."

"So I gathered…I'm guilty of murder here?"

"Among other things, yes…" Mrs. Fredericks nodded.

"I'm gonna presume because of my connection to the Warehouse I wasn't tried in a regular court…?"

"No. But it was a fair trial. And being tried by a special court under Regent supervision allowed you to evade the death penalty. "

"In a manner of speakin'…" wan smile. "Though frankly, immortality in bronze is not my idea of living. Tell me something, Mrs. F…? Do you mind, I always wanted to call you that. My Pete likes to, when you're not around to hear him…Or so he likes to think…"

"You used to call me that, Myka. You're still welcome to…What?"

"Why?" Myra stared. "Why do you bronze people? Why don't you just kill them? I mean, what? You hope to use them for something, someday? Lawn ornaments, maybe?"

"An idea…Which a few agents have suggested, usually when a bit drunk…But we bronze them in hopes that one day some of them may be helped…Their madness treated…As Cecily Georgiana was…"

"I heard that name? Cecily? Leena and Jinks mentioned it…Who was that?"

"Do you claim not to remember her?" Mrs. Fredericks eyed her.

"I claim not to know anything definite about this world…" Myka noted.

"Very well…Cecily Georgiana Wells, scientist, writer, adventuress, Warehouse 12 agent…Sister to the famous author, HG We…"

"CG…She was CG here? HG was CG here?...And her brother actually was a writer, too?"

"A very well known one…Cecily, not so much…Though she was content to keep to the background…It allowed her to pursue her scientific work and her Warehouse activities…"

"And I…The other me…She killed her?"

"Yes, you did, Myka. I'm sorry…But I'm not prepared to believe your story without proof…You killed CG Wells. Deliberately and for a fairly typical motive."

Myka eyed her… "Jealously? I was in love with her?…And she…?"

"You were in love…But not with her…Unless you were lying earlier?"

"Pete? I killed HG…Sorry, CG?...Over Pete?" she stared.

"I'll grant you you're very convincing, Myka." Hard stare back.

…..

Myka eyed the computer laptop screen on the table…Video running…

"This was rather important evidence at your trial…" Mrs. Fredericks noted.

HG, no mistaking her, in a rather conservative skirt and blouse with jacket…A bit antique as to style…Running…Waving drawn Tesla…

Turning back to call… "Myka! This way! She's heading for the 11th block!" Then hurrying on, disappearing down the corridor.

Myka staring as her twin appeared…In more modern clothes…Rather tight blouse, trousers, jacket…Looking rather nervous…

"Cecily?!...Cecily?! I don't…Where did she go?" Pausing…Pulling Farnsworth… "Agent Lattimer? Agent Jinks?! Agent Wells and I are in pursuit of the suspect! Heading for…Block 16…"

"Acknowledged, Bering!" Pete's voice clear… "Stay with her, Myka! We'll be there in a minute!"

"You diverted Agents Lattimer and Jinks deliberately." Mrs. Fredericks noted, pausing the video…

"Why?" Myka stared.

Mrs. Fredericks unpaused the video in answer…Camera switching to one further down the corridor…

"Of course you knew we had surveillance here but apparently Miss Donovan thought she'd disabled the system…Not realizing Agent Lattimer had had a redundancy installed after taking over from Agent Nielsen…Unless of course, she knew and wanted you implicated. I would expect it of her." sad sigh.

"I…The other me…Was helping Claudia? To do what?"

Mrs. Fredericks folded hands…

"Fine…" Myka nodded… "Watch…Right…" she sighed…

"CG!..." Myka's voice…The area dark, only emergency lighting on…

"Here!" hiss… "Careful!"

"Where is she?!" whisper…

"I think she's …" static on video… "well…That's a bit better…" as lights snapped on…

Wry smile on the face of H…Or rather, C…G to Myka… "Careful…We can't be sure what caused the power loss. She may have found a way to tap Warehouse energy as well as our electrical system…"

"Ok…" the Myka twin nodded...Looking round…

"Don't be nervous, girls…" Mocking tone from down the corridor…Lights flickering a second, then dark… "It's only lil' ole Claudia…"

"Donovan! Stop this and surrender!" Cecily called, waving twin Myka to the side… "We don't want to have to hurt you!"

"Just bronzical me…" chuckle…

"Paracelsus is lying to you…He can't bring Arthur back, Claudia!" Cecily called. "Not all the power of the Warehouse can do that…And you'll never have that power."

"Now…Don't fib, Cecily…What would your beau say?" Claudia's voice… "You know it's perfectly possible…You just never had the guts to try and save your daughter."

Twin Myka on video, glance to CG's tense, saddened face…

"The price is too high, Claudia…I beg you…Stop this insanity!"

"And go back to my wonderful life…As a tool of the Regents." mocking sneer…

"Claudia, we love you too…Just as Arthur did…"

"And Claudia so loved Humankind that she laid down her beloved's life for her friends…" Claudia, bitterly… "Yes, you all loved me so much…I can feel the love in every Tesla shot."

"Claudia…Just tell us where Paracelsus is?! Before this goes any further…He's mad and his madness is infecting you!"

"Is that all?" chuckle. "No worries, CG…I got him in the bronzer…Nice and neat, all wrapped up for you…"

"What?!"

"Did you think I was stupid enough to let some nutcase have the Warehouse? Come on…I just needed to pick a few neurons…Say, hows about a reward since I'm no longer an agent by Lord Chief Justice Lattimer's decree? Say?…I run this place for a few days to try a few experiments and you get the mad, nasty Paracelsus, all bronzed and polished to gleamin'? Fair enough?"

"I'm afraid not, Claudia…" Cecily called…Turning back to Myka… "I think she's lost her mind, poor thing…Possibly Paracelsus' doing. Cover me, I'll try to get her to come out…Stun her if you can…Use the pistol if you have to…" harsh whisper.

"Claudia? I'm coming out…I just want to talk…" Cecily carefully…Stepping into the corridor, gun down…

"Sure…You know I love to talk…I used to keep Arthur up half the night, talkin' away…Mostly just to hear him grumble at me."

"Claudia, I'm sorry about Artie…We all are…Claudia!" Backing to the side as a shot ricocheted off the opposite wall.

"Not as sorry as I am, foster sis…" Claudia, calmly… "Being his killer and all, thanks to you dear people…"

"It had to be done, Claudia…The evil from the astrolabe…"

"No…It didn't…" calm tone…Then tensing, breaking… "There was another way…He didn't have to die…Paracelsus told me…And showed me how it happened…Elsewhere…You made me kill him the quick and easy way…He didn't have to die…I didn't have to lose him! I didn't have to be alone, again!"

"Claudia…" Cecily sighed. "You know what that man was, what he is…He is lying to you, using you!"

"Yes. Like you." Shot… "I hope you know those were deliberate misses, sis…"

"We have been like sisters, Claudia…You, Myka, me…Don't throw that…"

"Liar…" calm reply… "You persuaded me to do it…You swore there was no other way to save his soul…You lied to me. For the greater good, natch…As always. I imagine the agent who had your daughter murdered so he could regain Warehouse 12 for Mother England forever while you were distracted felt his goals were laudable too."

"I suppose he did…" wan tone. "But you're not thinking clearly, Claudia…Listen to me…"

"You cheated me…Just as you cheated Myka…Stole Lattimer from her…"

"Claudia…"

"He loved her…You come along…And so much for Myka…"

CG, glancing back…Myka, shrugging…

"They weren't in love, that was a passing affair…Claudia, listen…Paracelsus is evil…You know…"

Not catching the look of bitter anger on Myka's face…

"A passing affair…" My whole heart…A passing affair…It doesn't even bother her to know about it…It was just silly Myka, after all.

"Did you hear that, Myka? You weren't in love? Didn't you know that?" chuckle… "Funny, I remember you saying…What was it now? About the bitch who took the only man you'd ever loved…"

"Stop it, Claudia!" Myka called…Tensing…

"Right, sorry to bring out the family's dirty laundry…Anyway, so Paracelsus is 'evil' and little Claudia, innocent lamb, is too stupid to resist falling into his thrall…?"

"However you like, Claudia…" Cecily called. "Anyone of us could be fooled by Paracelsus…You were just the vulnerable one right now."

"I've been there…I saw him…It's not a lie…She saved him…" Claudia, furious tone now. "She got to save him…And you know the funny thing? She doesn't even love him…Oh, my counterpart likes him…He's a nice father figure, but hey…She has better offers, he's just funny ole Dad Artie to her. I saw him alive…I was there, for a few minutes, Paracelsus showed me…The other one was sleeping, she never even knew she'd been here while I was there…He was alive, again. Oh, you lying bastards!"

"Claudia? How?"

"No, no,no…" mocking tone again… "That would be tellin'…And I promised not to…"

"You let him use an artifact? On you? Claudia, how could you be so foolish? You've been tricked, girl!"

"You did…"

"And it drove me mad and got me bronzed for decades…" Cecily sighed… "Claudia, don't repeat my mistake…"

"Certainly not, sis…I would never slip up the way you did…Me, I'd die first…For the one I love."

"You can't get Arthur back, Claudia…Even if you cross the time line or raise him from the dead…Whatever Paracelsus claims. You'd only destroy what you had…"

"Raisin' was good enough for Jinksey…But, spare me the 'that was a special case' bullshit…I just told you…There's another Arthur already safe and sound …And all I have to do is make sure I've the power to take him and keep him…'Cause I sure got the will..."

"You'd steal someone else's Arthur? Claudia…"

"Sure…But in fact I intend to steal her whole life…'cause I gotta say,sis…Except for Arthur…Mine sucks…No offense, sister Agent Wells."

"Claudia, you must know Arthur wouldn't want…"

"My Arthur is dead…And the other…Won't know…If I handle things just right."

"Is she crazy?..." Myka hissed… "It can't be done, right?"

"Certainly, she's mad…" Cecily hissed back…

But you didn't say…No…Myka stared…

"All right…" Cecily pondered a new strategy. "You say you have Paracelus in the bronzer…Is that true?"

"He served his purpose…And I am still in spirit an agent…The agent Arthur Nielsen trained and nurtured…And loved like a daughter, much as she wanted more..."

"He'd grieve to see you falling like this, Claudia."

"He'd weep…Like I wept…When he sacrificed his soul to save all our miserable necks…And what was his reward? What effort did we make? How much blood did we shed to get him back? Where was his metronome? Why Jinks and not Arthur?! Why could I save a son of a bitch pompous ass like that and not the one person…?!"

"Claudia, the metronome wasn't an option…And he knew the risks…He should never have let you get so close to him…"

"He knew…And there are always options, CG… I know the risks…And like him, I'm willing to run them, sweetie, in the most noble cause I can think of…As for any vile notions you may have, Agent, he never did let me get close…Close as I wanted…No matter how many times I offered." gentle tone. "He was always so decent, so pure, so good…The best thing in my life…The one thing I had worth living for, worth dying for…"

"Don't betray that, Claudia…If it meant so much to you, don't betray his spirit…"

"And you made me kill him. Stab him right through the heart…Only it was my heart that stopped beating that day. But…No hard feelings…You give me the Warehouse for a few days, I will get outta your tightly bunned hair for good and leave you Paracelsus in bronze as a parting gift for ole times sake? Whatdaya say…Sister?"

Cecily, moving against the wall now, slowly…Toward the sound of Claudia's voice… "You know I can't do that…Agent Lattimer will never do it...It's a lie, a deception on Paracelsus' part, Claudia. He's using you to seize control of the Warehouse."

"Aw…Come on, Petey's your honey lamb…Your sugar-pie…You ask him nicely…I can give you pointers from my salad days on the street when my dear brother pimped me around like so much human candy…And he'll come round. As for any trickery by Paracelsus…I'll take my chances…"

"Enough, Claudia…I want you to surrender or we will take you…If you really do have Paracelsus in bronze, hand him over and things may go easy for you. We'll all speak for you…"

"Things may go easy for me…What an offer…No, sorry…Just don't seem like the deal I want."

"You can't steal back Arthur's life, Claudia…"

"Fate stole mine…Turnabout's fair play, I'd say… And why not…I stole Jinksey's back…Why him and not Arthur?"

"Myka!…Draw her fire, then get over and kill the lights, and I'll try to take her…Myka?!" Cecily hissed.

"Yeah…Yeah…Ok!" Myka hissed back…Careful stare…

"There's no place to run, Claudia!…And we will not 'give you' the Warehouse. It's over!" CG called… "The others are blocking your escape….Claudia?! Please!"

"There's always somewhere to run in Warehouse 13, sweetie…And some last chance to try…My Niely taught me that…" chuckle…

Myka firing toward the voice…

"Oooh…Hey?...I thought you were the good guys?!" returned fire.

CG, putting up hand for Myka to shut lights. The area lights went out.

"Mommie, scary…" Claudia's mocking voice…Shots firing…

"Oh!" CG's gasp… "Myka…Myka!" she cried, as the lights came back on…

Myka at the table staring at the newly paused video…

"You shot her in the back as she went to take Claudia…" Mrs. Fredericks eyed her.

"Over Pete? I…She shot HG over Pete…" Myka stared. "But she must have known it would come out, what did she hope to gain?"

"That has been the question I've asked you, dear. Countless times…You…And poor Claudia…"

"They didn't escape, then?"

Mrs. Fredericks eyed her, then pressed the play button…

"Claudia?! Claudia?! She's down! Claudia?! Oh, God…God…!" Myka howled. Rushing to the fallen Cecily…

"CG?!...Cecily?!...It wasn't me…Claudia!..." Myka, desperately…Cecily staring at her…

"You…" she gasped… "Myka…No…"

"Oh, please…" Claudia, harshly…Emerging from the corridor…Gun drawn… Myka pointing hers as well…

"I hope you don't really think you can pin this on me, now, you little coward?" cool tone.

"You're under arrest, Claudia Donovan…Drop your weapon!" Myka called…Nervously pointing gun…

"Do we have a deal or no?" Claudia, cool smile… "Cause if you want a heroic death to redeem yourself…I've got it for you right here."

"I…No…" Myka trembling… "Cecily?" she called to the groaning CG…

"She knows you shot her, Myka…You can't bumble that away as due to the incompetence of Agent Mikey…Now we haven't much time. Do you want my deal or do you want to die and have Peter perhaps spare a mo to think well of you from time to time when he's not overcome by grief for his ladylove?"

"She's still alive…Claudia…"

"Yeah, we'll have to rectify that…I still need you free and clear for a bit longer…The infamous Claudia has to be taken alive after all…"

"No…No! I'm done…I don't want to…" Myka, trembling… "You're lying to me…Paracelsus is lying…I'll never get Peter back this way. The other night, it was a lie…A trick…"

"Seemed pretty real to me…" grin… "You two were hot and heavy…"

"Artifact-induced…Not real…He doesn't love me…Claudia…Lets just…"

Faint calls from down the corridor…

"Myka…" CG, faintly… "Take her…Shoot…"

"Good advice, Myka…" Claudia smiled… "But my aim's better…" she fired, bullet ricocheting near Myka… "Drop it, sweetie or use it…Now…"

"Claudia, please…" Myka, desperately… "I don't want to do this…Lets just…"

"Fine…It's your call, hon…" Claudia eyed her… "I'd say it'll be dishonorable discharge and prison, the very least…"

"No…I didn't…"

"Sweetie…It's on camera…Smile…" she pointed to the cameras mounted above them…

"But…You said…" Myka stared… "You disabled the system…"

"I had my fingers crossed…Heck, I don't mind having my exploits documented for Posterity…"

"I didn't mean to!...You, you forced me…You and Paracelsus tricked me, did something to me…"

"We gave you a love artifact which you chose to use…You covered our theft of artifacts we needed and kept watch while I was testing Paracelsus' claims…You shot your partner while her back was turned…Myka? Stupidity as well as ignorance is no excuse, hon…"

"Myka…" CG gasped… "Don't…"

"What can I do…?" Myka looked at Claudia… "You lied to me! He'll know I shot her!"

"Video footage can be edited…If you still want Pete and are willing to do what it takes…"

"It won't work…He'll figure it out…He's too smart…"

"We only need him to be fooled until I'm to be bronzed, sweetie…Then I go…And you…And it's too late now, dearie." She indicated the still form of CG…

"Cecily…" Myka gasped… "No…No!..."

"You shot her…You could have saved her…" Claudia eyed her coldly. "Welcome to the club, sister."

"No…No!..."

Claudia looked up at the camera…Wide grin…Pointing…

The image went black…

"Claudia doctored the video as she promised but she could only do so much…We recovered and restored the footage during her trial…" Mrs. Fredericks noted.

"So…She just surrendered…When she could have escaped? That didn't seem suspicious to you guys?'

"She was shot by Agent Lattimer trying to flee toward an exit…You were there, dear…Supposedly in pursuit…"

"But after you saw this video?...You knew she wanted to be caught…"

"She planned for you to release her…After disposing of Paracelsus, of course…And you might have if Agent Lattimer hadn't doubted your story about the shooting and found the artifact you'd used on him earlier…And if we hadn't managed to recover the video. It was a clever plan, if an insane one…"

"What good would releasing her have done?...Why not just cover her tracks as a trusted agent? She would have been caretaker in due course…"

"Caretaker? There was a time when that was true, but she was rejected for her instability over two years ago…Another candidate was being processed…As you knew all too well…" hard stare…

"Cecily… " Myka stared. "She had to kill Cecily or lose the Warehouse to her after you…And any chance of getting Artie…Our Artie…So she set me…The other Myka…Up to kill her."

"We thought she'd taken it with good grace…It'd never been assured to her in any case…She was a dear child, despite what life had done to her, mainly thanks to Arthur Nielsen, but we'd realized she was just too unstable to entrust with such power." sigh.

"I knew it was dangerous, her being so dependent on him…But she had no one else…He was her whole life…Even Cecily and I, hard as we tried, could never forge the bond she needed. Only Arthur could reach her…Help her."

"And then he died? At Claudia's hand…?"

"It had to be done…I thought she was reconciled…That she realized she was saving his soul…She seemed to believe that at first. But over time…She brooded…No one could help her…We found she was studying artifacts, dangerous ones. Agent Lattimer and I agreed that she had to be placed on restricted duty. Once again, she pretended to accept it, but in secret…"

"Then Paracelsus was unbronzed…By Nicholas…"

"Yes…And she was his first victim…Oh…When that boy appeared and they seemed to bond…I hoped…I hoped so much it would save her…But he was deceiving her…To gain access to his uncle."

Frown at Myka…

"Don't think my talking like this means I believe you, Ms. Bering. I understand you're anxious not to be bronzed, possibly forever…And you've proven a fine liar…"

"So Pete…Agent Lattimer…Has tole me…" Myka sighed.

"But why?...How? How could Claudia let Paracelsus fool her? How did they?"

"Hook up…" stare. "Yes, it was a relationship…And we do believe there was physical contact…After all, Ms. Donovan's history is not an innocent one…Though for Arthur, she'd tried to put that all in the past…Paracelsus clearly saw himself in her, somehow…Sensed her darkness, was attracted to it, even…And she, to his…Though for more practical reasons…" she looked at Myka…

"Mrs. Fredericks…That man…That Paracelsus…Suppose he wasn't the original Paracelsus…The caretaker of Warehouse 9…In either of our worlds…Suppose he was someone…Or something, else. A darker man, who took Paracelsus' place…That would explain his changing…His hurting his own family, his loved ones…Even killing them…"

"People change here, Myka…You did…Claudia did…MacPherson…Even Arthur was overcome in the end, though not corrupted…"

"But only in a way…We got worse…We didn't go from perfect and good to pure evil…We…The ones here…Were flawed. Only Artie was possessed that way…The rest of us, it was slow…But Paracelsus was like Artie…He changed suddenly…"

Sigh… "You both had such potential. Arthur believed in Claudia as I did in you…We thought we could guide you, help you overcome your weaknesses…But…Agent Lattimer may be right. We may have brought this upon ourselves by expecting too much from you both…"

"And if he took the good Paracelsus' place here and was bronzed…For centuries…"

"Myka…"

"Listen…Paracelsus, the evil one anyway, didn't die as that bronze statue, the one that dissolved…And it wasn't an accident. He and Claudia covered his escape by putting the good man in that statue and killing him…Somehow he'd switched places years ago when he must have tried to take Warehouse 9, then got taken and when Nick got him out and Claudia…Your Claudia…Joined him…They put his other, better, self in that bronze…And then sent him, the evil one…To my world. Into the bronze Nick released there…And he brought Claudia there, to my world…When he attacked my Warehouse…It was all a trick to get Claudia alone and replace her…She's the next caretaker in my world…And the other Myka…They've all escaped, to my world. I have to get back! I have to stop them, warn my family!"

"Myka…You told similar tales at your trial…Claudia released Paracelsus, he affected you…They used you to kill Cecily and then fled somehow…No artifact influence compelled you. Your actions were yours and yours alone, even if Claudia urged you to it."

"Mrs. Fredericks…I'm not lying…And the tests will prove it, whatever Pete thinks…"

Long stare… "Myka. I'd love to believe that…I'd love to believe you…But you've deceived us before…And Claudia is far too dangerous and skillful to be taken lightly, even if she is bronzed now. And I have to agree with Agent Lattimer that it makes sense you would try to encourage us to believe in a tale that would result in our realizing Claudia from the bronze. I'm sorry…"

"Pete hates me…I get that…I killed the person here he loved…"

"And betrayed the soul of someone else he loved…You…He did love you, once…In a way…Just not the way you wanted him to." Hard stare.

"In one terrible, intertwined stroke he's lost everyone he ever trusted and loved…Arthur, you, Claudia, and Cecily…All of you…And like me, he blames himself for not seeing the signs, for not saving you all…Myka…Losing you to the darkness has been like losing a child for me. You weren't the best agent or the most clever… But you were the sweetest of daughters…" sigh… "And I loved you dearly as Arthur loved Claudia…And it broke my heart to lose you…I blame myself for letting my poor judgment and vanity obscure my sense. I should never have recruited you for the Warehouse…I should have realized you were not up to the job…The temptations were too great. If I'd let you be, you'd've made a fine agent in a more traditional sphere. It was my fault, not yours."

"Mrs. Fredericks…You have to try and believe in me…At least if the tests prove I've got cancer. That I'm not physically the same woman you knew…And any other test, whatever you have…I'll take…But I have to have your help. For your world's sake as much as mine. Please…"

"I don't know what I could do for you even if I did believe you, Myka…" sigh.

"Yes, you do…Stop them from bronzing me tomorrow…Help me find whatever it was Claudia used to escape from here…And let my Claudia out of the bronze."

Frown…Long, cool stare…

"I know…" Myka, desperate look… "That's what I'd say if I were lying…But I'm not…I swear to you, Mrs. Fredericks…" pleading look…

"Well, we'll see what the tests show…But I can't prevent your bronzing tomorrow, whatever the result, I'm sorry." She rose. "God bless you, child. And grant mercy on your soul…And poor Claudia's…"


	12. Chapter 12

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XII…

Original Warehouseverse…

Jinks, moving along carefully…Passing Section 13…Farnsworth out and set to Artie's frequency for the holographic transmissions…

"Beware my wrath!" Paracelsus suddenly appeared before him…Wrapping robe about himself grandly…Waving arms.

"Yeah, yeah…" Jinks sighed. Scanning the corridor, adjusting knobs on the Farnsworth…

He could at least vary the recording once in a while…This is getting monotonous.

"Pete…Oh, Pete…" he addressed the Farnsworth screen.

"Yo…Any word?"

"Not yet…Jamming still…Have you run into more holograms?"

"Oh, yeah…" mild static… "…quite the ego, this guy…same…" the image of Pete's face flickering and obscured…

"I'm losing you, Pete…I'll keep tracking the transmissions my way. Jinks out."

Hmmn…He scanned a printout copy of Claudia's run of artifacts, the ones showing evidence of likely not being present boldfaced…

"Chinese screen of Mendes Pinto…83% percent chance energy pattern is unstable…I.e., another gone missing and located…" he looked to his left…

Yeah…He eyed the flickering screen against the wall…Too large for Paracelsus' hologram image to be stable…

I'd say that's a missing…

Hmmn…A large missing…Too large to carry very…

He stared…And that, presumably…He went up to the screen shoved against a corner…

Is our missing screen…

Suggesting…He looked round…

No transmitter. If this was his hiding place, he didn't hole up here long…

So, what does this thing…He glanced over the screen…Do?

The Farnsworth buzzed…Artie's face…

"Artie…? Thank God…How are they? Artie?"

Lips moving no sounds…He turned up the volume…

Nothing…

"Artie…Artie!"

Artie eyeing him on screen, annoyed look…

Speak up…He managed to understand.

Yeah…Same problem, both sides.

"I've got at full volume, Artie…It must be due to…"

"JINKS! TURN…"

Whoa…He turned the volume down… "Artie?"

"Jinks? What the hell were you doing?! Did you and Pete locate the source of the holograms yet?"

"Something blocked the sound…Paracelsus' jamming maybe…" he eyed the screen…

Artie frowning again…Lips moving…Pointing…

"I can't hear you…Artie? You want me to…" he stepped back…

"There…No?" a step…

Wait…He looked…The screen just beside him…

Hmmn…He moved back toward the corridor…

"Can you please…" Artie's voice…

"I think I know what the problem is…It's the screen…"

"What screen?" Myka's eager face… "Hey, Steve!" beaming smile…Wave… "Claudia's better and Mrs. Fredericks is resting ok…"

"What?"

"Paracelsus seems to have tried another attack…" Artie took the screen back… "Claudia and Mrs. Fredericks managed to beat him off but just barely…Mrs. Fredericks is comatose, she's passed off the caretakership to Claudia. It's imperative we learn if Paracelsus has returned to the Warehouse or is using an agent for these attacks. What screen, by the way?"

"This…" Jinks angled the Farnsworth… "He did take Pinto's screen but not far…"

"Ah…Right…" Artie's smile on screen… "Mendes Pinto's Chinese screen…A sound baffle…Paracelsus must have wanted a secure area…"

"To interrogate…" Jinks eyed him…

"Yes…Is there any other sign of him there?!"

"Nothing so f…" heavy bright flash… Thunderous roar…

"Steve?!" Artie's startled face on screen calling… "Agent Jinks?! Are you all right?!"

"Steve?!" Myka's anxious voice catching Artie's urgent tone… "Is he ok?!"

"Artie…" gasp…Claudia, opening her eyes… "What's up…Buttercup?" wan smile…

"Steve's run into something…Paracelsus, possibly!" Artie, grabbing bag. "Hello, Steve?! Steve..?!" he tried the Farnsworth…

"I'll come…" she tried to sit up… "Don't you…Go…Without…"

"You stay here, Claudia…Myka? Keep an eye on her…"

"I said…Don't You Go!" Claudia, sitting up…Eyes glaring…

"Claudia…?" Artie, eyeing her…

"Ummn…Sorry…Please…" wan grin again… "Magic word forgotten, mucho apologetic…Artie, wait for me…I think Paracelsus left some things behind…Booby traps…Just let me…" she struggled to rise.

"Sit." He commanded.

Myka eyeing both cautiously…Nervous glance to the rather exhausted Claudia…

"Ok…" Claudia nodded, relaxing a bit… "But don't go charging in…Please…" she eyed him… "I can't lose you now…" honest plea in tone and stare.

He nodding, wry smile…

"Artie…Hey, Artie…" Jinks' voice…A bit shaken…

"There's the boy…Alls well…" Claudia, settling back in seat…

"Jinks? Are you ok?" Artie addressed the screen… Image static, voice pretty good.

"Yeah…Whanged the Farnsworth when I fell…Some kind of electrical discharge…Not too bad, just noisy…I'm ok. Looks like Paracelsus left a greeting card. Nothing serious, though."

"Yeah…Well, watch out for more…And make a careful assessment of that area around the screen…Let me know if you find any artifacts or parts of artifacts."

"Sure…How's Claud? And Mrs. Fredericks, she's still comatose?"

"Claudia's ok…Apart from some crankiness…Probably heightened by transfusion from Mrs. Fredericks." Artie smiled at her…She offering faint grin…Eh, you… "Yes…Mrs. Fredericks is still comatose and we can't wake her up just yet. Dr. Calder is on her way, though…"

"You should come back here, Jinks!" Myka urged. "Artie, he should come back and be checked out."

"I still want to run down that signal with Pete…I'll be…" Jinks began…

"Pete…" Myka gasped… "What about Pete? Where is he, have you heard from him?! I'd better go and see if he's ok…!"

"I just spoke to him, he's fine." Jinks noted on screen.

"I'll go make sure…!" Myka, anxiously.

"Myka, I need you here…" Artie frowned… "Lattimer is fine, just see if you can call him."

"What? Artie, I wanna be sure…"

"Myka…"

"Orders are orders, Mykes…" Claudia cut in…A bit hastily… "Just give Petey a call, I'm sure he's ok."

"Yeah? Ok…" anxious tone…Slight wringing of hands… She pulled out her Farnsworth… "Pete? Are you there? Pete?"

"I'm not getting anything…" she looked at Artie…

"He's on a different frequency…To track the transmissions…Give it here." Artie took the Farnsworth… "No…" he eyed the settings… "You're good to go…It's gotta be the interference."

"Artie…" she pleaded…

"Jinks will call him again…Steve?" Artie spoke to Myka's Farnsworth…Ok, works…Jinks' image on screen… "Can you check in with Pete again and confirm he's ok…Someone here is having a panic attack."

"Sure…" Jinks' voice…A bit of static mixed…

"Thanks…" Myka beamed… "I'm just concerned, Artie…" sheepish shrug…

"Ok…Now please tend to Mrs. Fredericks…I want her vitals checked every ten minutes…"

"Sure…"

"Here…" he handed her back her Farnsworth. "You know…I don't remember giving you the hologram frequency for the Farnsworth, when did I do that?" he asked, moving back to Claudia…

Uh….

"I think I heard you tell Jinks and Peter…Or maybe they told me…?"

"Oh, right…Pete was gonna to have you join in the triangulation…Rectangulation in that case." Faint smile…

"Yeah…" she nodded… "Let me check those vitals…" she hurried over to Mrs. Fredericks' side…

…..

One hour later…

Vanessa Calder having arrived and made a thorough examination…

"Ok…" she smiled at Claudia, now hooked to an IV… "We'll just pump some fluids into and a little pain medication and you should be good to go soon. But I want you to rest and we should do an MRI asap."

"Right…" tired smile… "Any chance of putting pizza on my prescriptions' list?"

"In a little while…" Calder patted her hand. Turning away to move to Artie over by Myka's side next to Mrs. Fredericks…

"Vitals are stable…" Myka noted carefully…

"Good job…" Vanessa smiled… "Just check her about every twenty minutes for now."

"On it…" nod.

"Dr. Calder? Can we talk?" Artie urged…Leading her to a corner…

Claudia, shaking shoulders a bit…Opening eyes to glance at the two…

So…Dr. Calder…The unknown quantity…Unknown to us in our universe, that is…

My possible junior competition, according to what I saw in the personnel files…She eyed Vanessa, now in solemn conference with Artie.

But giving him an occasional, anything but solemn, smile…

Well…No need to be petty about it…Just yet. The new Queen of Earth and the Solarian system doesn't need to fret about some little doctor makin' time with her chubby beau...Before he becomes her consort.

Though they might be considered, by some ignorant types, to be better suited by age and all that…Love, Duty, and Need are all on my side…My and Arthur's mutual Love which I can feel…The love I've killed for and I can sense he would die for, Agent Nielsen's sense of Duty binding him to the protection of the Caretaker and her Warehouse…Regardless of all personal concerns, and this new Caretaker's Need…Sincerely…For his guidance and wisdom…Send the scales crashing down on my side…

And I can always vaporize or mc the bitch somehow on the quiet if necessary…

…


	13. Chapter 13

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XIII…

Alternative Warehouseverse…

The Holiest of Holies…Agent Lattimer's office…Formerly Agent Nielsen's…

"All right." The seated Peter in suit…Impeccably groomed as always…Even at this God-awful hour of 1 am… Eyed the two earnestly attempting to match the Boss' said impeccable style agents standing before his desk. "So the test results confirm that Bering has ovarian cancer."

"There's no question, sir." Leena nodded.

"But there's now the question of whether she concealed it, and the fear of Death played a role in her recent actions…Induced it, to gain sympathy and reprieve…Or it was induced, by Paracelsus or Claudia, to influence her in their favor."

"Or…" Jinks…Pausing at Lattimer's grim stare.

"Yes, Agent Jinks?"

"She could be telling the truth, sir. It's got to be considered."

"I've considered it." Peter nodded. "And I reject it." Cold tone. "I find it a lot easier to believe she or her allies induced this condition in a desperate attempt to prevent us from carrying out her sentence than she is from a parallel universe a'la Fringe or something. I am quite willing to accept that this woman will do anything to avert her punishment. I also suspect she may be telling the truth on one point. Paracelsus may not be dead. His bronze statue's dissolution is too convenient and I can believe he may have found a way to escape…And if we delay bronzing Bering, we offer him a chance to free his ally."

"But if…Sir…" Leena began…

"If our foes escaped, as she claimed…And Donovan and Paracelsus are in some other universe…Wreaking havoc as we speak…? We can assume the other universe's Warehouse 13 team is competent to handle them. No, I prefer to act cautiously. We'll continue the investigation…And be on the alert for any 'visitations' from this 'other world' seeking our help. But Myka Bering is too dangerous to trust. She'll be bronzed at 8am this morning as her sentence dictates. If other evidences is revealed later, we can always debronze her. That's my decision, people…" he eyed them. "And even Mrs. Fredericks approves. I appreciate your efforts to go above and beyond the call in your duty here, agents. It will be noted. That's all."

"Sir." Leena nodded. "Yes, sir." Jinks as well…

Both turned and left him…Peter staring at the wall…An old photo of Arthur Nielsen's still hanging..

He, Arthur, Claudia, Myka, Cecily, Leena…Seated around a table in casual dress, eating…Must have been within a few months of Cecily's rehabilation…When they were all still a family…

Claudia, tight arm around Nielsen…

"In too deep, Artie…In too deep…" he sighed. Eyeing Myka in the photo…Then Cecily…

Cecily, warm smile directed his way in the photo…

"Sweetheart…Forgive me…" he murmured… "I'll never let that woman spit on your memory…I swear.." he said quietly…Tensely.

Turning to find Mrs. Fredericks staring at him from a chair…

"Ma'am…One day you'll do that and my instincts will kick in." he eyed her quietly. "So? This is about Bering, I take it?"

"Yes. You've seen the test results?"

"I have." He nodded…Opening drawer…Pulling out bottle…

"I'd offer you Scotch but all I have is soda water…"

"That's fine…Ice, please…" she nodded.

He smiled and rose to fetch two glasses and the requested ice…

"She might be telling the truth, Peter…" stare.

"She might. And Claudia might have been innocent and all the evidence against her faked by the others, as she claimed." He set down the glasses and ice bucket, pouring from his bottle.

"We both know that's not true." Mrs. Fredericks noted quietly. Accepting the glass from him… "Thank you."

"I've decided to go ahead and bronze her…The investigation will continue…If any new evidence shows during that investigation. If her people from her 'other world' come for her. I'll debronze her."

"If she's telling the truth, delay could make it impossible to stop Claudia."

"And Paracelsus…?"

Thin smile… "I think we both agree Claudia is the infinitely more dangerous of the two, Peter…"

"We do." He sipped at his glass…Setting it down.

"Let me ask you, Agent…" she leaned forward. "Are you quite sure your feelings against Miss Bering aren't influencing you in this matter?"

"Of course they are…" he eyed her, leaning back. "But, given I'd prefer to see her dead and her spare parts used to save my Cecily's life…" he gave wan smile.

"You loved Myka once, Peter…As I did…"

"Probably more…" he smiled… "Or at least in other ways…" wry grin. Frown… "But she abused that love and trust…And when she couldn't get it honestly from me anymore…Tell me, if a male agent did to her what she did to me, wouldn't you call it…Rape?"

"It was…And I don't deny our Myka took a very dark path…As dark as poor Claudia's in her way." Sigh. "I'm also inclined to begin to believe it's unavoidable…That no agent can resist the power of the Warehouse, in the end."

"You did…I like to hope I did…Arthur Nielsen did, given his transformation was sudden and not corruption…A fatal miscalculation about an artifact but not the grossening of the soul we've seen in some. Mrs. Fredericks…What is it you'd have me do? Let her go? Trust her? Unbronze Donovan as well in the hope this Myka is isn't lying?"

"No to all of that, Peter. But for your own sake…Your piece of mind and your sense of guilt over Cecily…And the others…I'd give her her chance…Leave her unbronzed a few more days and try to see if there's any way Paracelsus could have crossed universes…"

"I've checked the manifests…As I'm sure you have…" he eyed her. "There is no artifact that would open a gateway to another world as she describes. And she couldn't identify one herself. She never had a 'good look' at what Claudia used."

"Paracelsus did have a knack for combining the powers of multiple artifacts…" she paused..,

"And if that's what he used, truthful or not, Ms. Bering is stuck here…Unless he left a detailed book of instructions and notes on his works." Lattimer shook his head.

"Actually…Agent Lattimer…" a male voice in the doorway…

Sutton's voice… "He did…Nick?"

Lattimer rising quickly from his chair as Sutton and Nicholas entered.

"God, I hope you have something better than that to offer me?" Sutton eyed the bottle of soda water on Peter's desk.

…

Original Warehouseverse…

"Jinks?" Pete, on Farnsworth…

"Loud and clear, buddy…" Jinks image on Pete's screen.

"I'm at section 17…Are you still poking round 13?"

"Yeah…But nothing but the screen and Paracelsus' little booby-trap so far. Are you still homing in on the transmissions?"

"Following from the last one…But that was forty minutes ago. He may have shut down or run out of battery power."

"Given all the last holograms have been repeats…" Jinks sighed. "I'd say we're tracking a recording…And he is long gone, probably after that last attack."

"Agent…" Paracelsus' image suddenly appeared… But flickering…And without the robe…

"You must…" he faded…

"there…Is…" flicker…

"Pete! Pete!..." Jinks grabbed his Farnsworth… "I've got him again…Something new…"

"Can't…Grave…" Paracelsus, rather desperate expression…Jinks staring…

"All the worlds…" a faint flickering and he faded out…

"Jinks…?!" Pete's voice, worried…

"Did you hear him?" Jinks eyed the image on screen.

"Hear what?" Pete stared…

…..

"So you think Claudia's going to be fine?" Artie, in low tone to Vanessa…

"As far as I can tell there are no aftereffects except exhaustion and a little dehydration…Only natural in caretaker passover…"

"Good…And Mrs. Fredericks?"

"That's more difficult…" sigh…Glance to the unconscious body in chair… "She's in a coma…There is brain activity from what I can tell with the portable EEG monitor but I can't bring her out…And frankly…"

"There's no experience with a caretaker passing over for any length of time and surviving. I know." Artie nodded.

"I'm sorry, Artie. I wish I could do more…I do recommend we get her to my clinic…I could monitor her better there…"

"Right…Is it wise though to separate them like that…Maybe it's not safe…As yet…"

"It shouldn't make a difference…" Vanessa pondered…

"But…" she paused… "I suppose I could bring my equipment here…Set her up in the bed and breakfast…It might be safer. I don't really know…" she blinked…

Sure you do, honey…Claudia thought, concentrating…

"If you're more comfortable with them close…We'll do it that way…I'll make the arrangements." She finished…

"Great…"Artie nodded. "If it's not too much trouble bringing the stuff in…?"

Hmmn? "Oh, no…No…" Vanessa shook her head… "Not at all…I'll get cracking on it, if I can use your office?"

"Sure…" he nodded…

Score one for my first dip into mind control via remote control artifacts…Caretaker Claudia 1…Rival doc Vanessa O…Claudia, faint grin as she lay in chair, eyes closed.

So nice I won't have to blast Arthur's ole girl into prurient goo…I couldn't bear the guilt when I'd see those sad eyes every morning musing on his loss.

But hey, I'll find her some nice supergenius- or artist- cum- hunk into middle-aged pretties with brains…I'm a big person, really…So long as I get what I want, l love to make the people around me happy…

"Artie?..." Myka, for the tenth time now… "Since Vanessa's got things set here…Could I go and…?"

"Oh, for Heaven's sake, Neilsen…Let the kid go play 'where's Petey?'…" Claudia called as Artie frowned at Myka's anxious face…

"Fine…Go…But be careful…We still don't know if Paracelsus is hangin' around or has retreated."

"Thank you!" Myka, excitedly…Heading off immediately…

"Artie…I just tole you…It's ok…I swept the House and there's no trace of him…" Claudia called…

"And you, young lady…" he stepped over to her… "Should stop playin' around with the Warehouse…It's much too soon for you to be trying to utilize the energy field and the artifacts like this. You could do yourself permanent damage."

"Yes…Boss…" she opened eyes, grinning. "But, God, Nielsen…What a rush." …sigh at his stern look…

"Right…Caution my new middle name…" she nodded. "Claudia Caution Donovan…"

Claudia Caution Donovan-Nielsen…Oh, yeah…

"Good." He agreed…Patting her.

"Claudia…" he frowned.

"Sorry…" giggle… "Just tickling you with a little background field force. Come on…I know you're ticklish, Niely…" she grinned.

"Claudia." Grim tone…As he shrugged a bit.

"Ok…Right…Sorry… Wanton abuse of my new powers…" sigh. "I'll be good…I promise."

"I'll hold you to that, Donovan."

"Oui, mon captaine…" she grinned, saluting a bit feebly… "Does leave one a bit…Winded…" she gasped.

"Left one caretaker who enjoyed 'playing' around in a coma for ten months…Not to mention Paracelsus is probably counting on you exposing yourself to an attack through inexperience." he noted. "So watch it."

"Right, boss." Nod.

Ok, so I'm the old-fashioned type…Doormat for the hubs…Toein' his line…Laurel to his Hardy…

And in my world they thought I'd be a menace to Humanity if I acquired power…Please…With stalwart Nielsen as my lifelong guide and mentor? Beware evildoers wherever you are!

Really…As I take no chances with my Artie…Pre-emption now being my other middle name… Yes, Saint Claudia Caution Pre-emption Donovan Nielsen is born…Using her awesome powers to bring bliss and peace to a troubled world with the help and guidance of her rotund and beloved soulmate…

After I get things properly jelled and set here and blast about half of our incoming Regents to Hell…Unobtrusively, natch…

Naturally, Mrs. L sacred…She's family, after all…


	14. Chapter 14

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XIV…

Original Warehouseverse…

"So…?" Pete's puzzled face on Farnsworth… "You say Paracelsus appeared but he looked…Different."

"And felt different, too." Jinks noted. "It's hard to explain but he wasn't the same…Almost a different person."

"Different hologram, you mean…"

"Not even quite a hologram…More like a film…And a bad one, I could only get a few words…But I got the sense…Pete…I couldn't feel much, but it wasn't the same man we've been dealing with. He was trying to reach me…Tell me something."

"Or maybe he was taking a new tack with us?" Pete suggested.

"You didn't hear a word?"

"Nope…Sorry Jinksey. Oh, hang on…Another call coming through."

"Pete!" Myka's eager face. "You're ok?! Everythng's good?"

"Oh, sure, Mykes…" Nod.

"I'm on my way!" she noted, breathlessly.

"Great…But how about Claudia and Mrs. Fredericks?"

"They're fine…Well, Claudia's fine. Mrs. Fredericks is in a coma…"

"Ergo…Not fine." Pete's image eyed her.

"Right but Vanessa's here, taking care of her…So Artie said I could come and join you guys…Help you out."

"Ok, great…But Mykes? Be careful… We just had another visit from our zaney friend…Maybe trying a new tactic…"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he popped up to Jinks and gave him a lot of the creepy stuff…Broken words and flickering lights and Jinks kinda thought…Well…"

Hmmn…Have to tell Claudia Pete admired her last one…

"Yeah?..." she stared at his image…

God…He's so beautiful when he's smiling all the time…

Was that me? Do I make him so happy? Oh…

Well, it is still me…Sorta…

"Jinks actually thought…He…This last one…Might not be the same guy…He seemed to be trying to tell him something…But I was listening in and I didn't hear it…"

"Maybe Jinks imagined it? You think?" she eyed him. "He did get knocked down by that booby-trap…"

"I was thinkin' that." Nod… "But he seems pretty sure…"

"Lets check it out when I reach you…Together…" she smiled.

"Ok…Are you monitoring the hologram frequency?" he asked.

"Yep…All tuned…" she nodded.

"Ok…Be careful, Mykes…See you soon."

"Yeah…You too…" she breathed…

Can't wait…

Really…

…

Section 1…

"Ok…" Vanessa had re-entered from the office area… "The equipment's on its way…" Hmmn? She looked round at the sound… Eyed Artie's finger on lips…He pointing to where Claudia in chair was now fast asleep…Snoring for all she was worth…

He grinned… "Long day for Sleeping Beauty…"

"I'd guess so…" smile…Pause…

"Anything wrong?"

"Hmmn?" Vanessa blinked at him… "Uhh…No…No…I just…About Mrs. Fredericks…"

"Is there some change?"

"No…I just…About having her here…"

"Not a good idea, after all? But you said…"

"Hmmn?" Vanessa stared. "Uh…No, no…It's ok…I guess…I mean if you want it that way…It's just not usually the way…"

"Vanessa?..." he eyed her…

"It's fine…" she smiled. "I think I'm just a bit confused as to what's to be done for her…I should get a neurologist in asap…And we'd better have a full-time nurse…"

"Sure…Anything you think can help…"

"Right…Yeah…Ok…Sorry…" she shrugged, smiling. "It's just one of those days. It's fine. We'll take care of her here, it'll be fine. I'm sure she'll do better in familiar surroundings…That's why I decided it this way…"

"Oh…Good…" he nodded. "Any idea how long Claudia may be out?"

She looked over… Wry grin at the loud snores. "Well, it's normal sleep…Not a coma…And she must be zonked…A few hours, maybe…"

"Good…As to both normal sleep and few hours…" he nodded.

"You could probably do with a few hours yourself…" she noted.

"It couldn't hurt…" he agreed. "But I've got to stay awake for now…Paracelsus is still on the loose…"

"Ok…" she eyed him… "But I want you to get some sleep as soon as possible…"

"I will…But for now…Hows about some coffee?"

"Artie?..."

"I'll make it…" he grinned.

"You know I mean…As in…'Coffee'?"

"I have to keep alert, Vanessa…Things are still critical here…"

"Fine…But I'll make it…Mild…" she smiled.

"Then I can tell you all about my new boyfriend…" she beamed… "His name's Chet and he's this really prominent neurosurgeon…From New York…"

"Really…" he stared. Blinking…As Vanessa happily headed off to make coffee…

Well…Not really…Claudia, grinning inwardly…Maintaining her divided state of wakefulness and sleep…Another facet of Caretaker ability she'd researched…

But there's gotta be one currently unattached NYC neurosurgeon named Chet…And heck, she's one great catch for any guy…

Hey, I'm the big person type…And it could be fun double dating…

I could put my hair up and pretend I'm forty…Hanging with my gal pal Vanny and her gang…Learning how old folks hang so as to make Artie more comfy…Cool…

Lets see…He's six-four and ripped…Used to be an actor on soap operas to put his pretty but muscular and brainy self through neurology school…

Well…Lets not get mean about it…Artie and other me weren't an official couple any more than I and mine were…And she didn't hang with him practically 24/7, hopin' to make him see there was a woman pulsating with love before him in that cute little streetwalker waif he'd taken in…

Five-ten…Much better…And good build but not…Insane…

….

Alternate Warehouseverse…

Myka in cell…Eyeing the guard on duty by the outer door…

Ok, one guard…Changes every four hours by my guesstimate…

Nice to see we finally have a budget of sorts to afford a little more security for the most valuable and dangerous site on Earth.

Now to defeat that security…

Ok, outer and inner doors use a simple padlock key…On guard and visitors appear to have their own…

….

"Sutton…?" Lattimer stared at Bennett Sutton and son…aka the Count of St. Germain and son…Both in modern clothes...Sutton returned to professorial garb, down to the patched elbows jacket...

"In the mortal flesh, Mr. Lattimer." Sutton nodded. "Now as to that offer of a drink?"

"Get out of my office before I have you and that spy of a son arrested…!"

"Agent Lattimer…" Mrs. Fredericks eyed him. "Professor Sutton…And he still is a full-fledged professor of History…Is here at mine and the Regents' invite and request."

Sutton, slyly grinning…Rising on toes…Nicholas frowning at Peter…Hey…We came in good faith, dork…

"And I think I have something a little more to his taste at hand…" she opened her purse to reveal a bottle of fine Scotch…"

"Madam…You have won my heart…" Sutton beamed, bowing…

"Ice, Agent?" she eyed Peter…

"None for the boys, of course…They'll stick to soda water…" She noted.

"Listen to the lady, Nick…" Sutton frowning at Nicholas' aggrieved look…

Five hundred years and I still haven't had a drink outside some snatched third rate wine and a stolen beer or two with various schoolkids?

…

"Guard…" Myka called…Groaning… "I'm having some pain here…! Guard!"

OH…She went to her knees…

"I need…!...OHHH!..." groan…

The guard unlocked the outer door and came to her cell door…

"Please!... I have cancer…I'm in pain…Please!...Just get a doctor?!...Please…OHHHH!..." she moaned…

"You are good…" the guard eyed her coolly. "But I'm the guard you clubbed that night with Donovan…You groaned very well that night too."

"Please!...I'm not askin' you to come in…Just call someone…I'm not that Myka Bering! Oh…!"

"I'll call the nurse…If you try anything I will shoot you." He eyed her coldly, turning and heading to the outer door.

Ok…Opportunity knocking in a few…She thought…

Just hope the nurse isn't six-five and 300 pounds…

Geesh…Doesn't anyone here have good memories of me?

…..

"So you have your brother's notebooks and journals…Records of his experiments?" Peter eyed Sutton who was gratefully sipping his glass of Scotch…

Best stuff he'd tried since 1768…In Belgium, of all places…

"I'm a historian, Agent Lattimer…I revere such valuable documents…"

"And thought they'd fetch a terrific price one day?"

"I have a son to think of, you know…And even Immortals have to eat…"

"I thought he'd lived with your wife…" Peter eyed him.

"Trust fund…For college…If he ever aged again. As is now proving invaluable, now that he is aging…And he's living with me now."

"The key factor is…" Mrs. Fredericks noted… "We have Paracelsus' records. We can reconstruct his efforts to combine various artifacts and what he might have used them for…"

"I see…All to prove poor Myka Bering is innocent…"

"If she is not our Myka, then she is innocent…" Mrs. Fredericks noted, calmly.

"We're not going to have face Myka Bering again, are we?" Sutton asked, a hair nervous. "'Cause you know we are mortal again and I do not want to indulge in the tragic irony of seeing my son die after all before he reaches manhood after all this effort. I think I'll have to insist on protection here, if we're to cooperate."

"I won't die, Father…Not for some considerable time." Nicholas smiled. "Is this really true, Agent Lattimer? Is this a different Myka from the one who helped my uncle?"

"I don't believe so…But she claims to be…"

"Really…Is she a nice girl?" Sutton asked…

"What?"

"Well…Nick here…" Sutton grinned as Nicholas blushed…

"I thought he liked Claudia…" Peter frowned…

"Lattimer…The boy is five hundred years ago and has never gotten beyond…Shall we say…A certain level?"

"Father?!" Nicholas, turning scarlet…

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, son…" Sutton shook his head… "Any way…If this is another Ms. Bering…And she's a worthy young lady of good family…Nicholas…Would like me to inquire…"

"Inquire…?" Peter stared…

"It's the old way of doing things, I know…" shrug… "But…"

"Father…" Nicholas…Frowning… "I asked you to be discreet…And to speak to her parents…"

"Well, son…Seeing as the lady is in a high security prison of sorts…And might yet be a vicious murderess…And Agent Lattimer is in authority over her as a sort of father-figure…"

"Are you two going to have me lugging these damned things in here by myself all night?" a voice called…

Charlotte Dupree-Sutton entering, lugging a box of old…Very old…Journals…

"And I'll take a glass of that if you don't mind?" she eyed the bottle of Scotch on Peter's desk. As Peter stared at the "walking dead"…Mrs. Fredericks taking it in stride…

"What was that about Miss Bering, that sweeter version of treacherous bitch of your murdering vixens, and my boy…?" she asked.


	15. Chapter 15

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XV…

Original Warehouseverse…

Jinks frowning at his Farnsworth…

Nothing more as to hologram transmissions…

And oddly, the last strange sighting…Had not produced a signal…

"It can't just have come up out of nowhere?" he puzzled out loud.

Well…Actually…It could have, if it weren't the same holographic transmission using fairly conventional technology.

Again, gotta hand it to Paracelsus for picking modern tech up like that…

Though, if an agent is acting for him here, now…Could be someone from our time, so…

Whoa…He stopped, startled by the new apparition…

Paracelsus…Reaching out..Again, not in the Rashid robe…And dimly…Near him…

"What? I can't hear…Can you…?"

"One…Lost among the worlds…" faint whisper…

"…Jinks?..." A voice… "We can't…"

"Claudia?...Claudia?!" he reached for the figure now beside Paracelsus…Which divided…Then again…

"One…Jinks!...Don't…" the image now of multiple Claudias and Paracelsus brightened…

"We can't help her! Jinks! Please!..." the Claudias called…

All fading suddenly…As he stepped back, near the shelf of the section, to a corner…

Stumbling and falling over… "Hey!"…Something…

Nothing…

He found himself lying…On something…

Yet not on anything…

Yet not on the floor…

And that something felt…

Disturbingly…

Like a…

"Jinks?" Myka stared at him…

"What are you doing?! Is Pete with you?!"

Uh…Well…I think I'm lying on someone's invisible body…He thought…

….

"Five foot ten…Forty…And likes to ski at Aspen once a month? Nice…" Artie nodded to Vanessa's eager, gushing report as to her new boyfriend, Dr. Chet…Uh…

Ah, what the hell…May as well make him believeable…Claudia, still suspending between sleep and acute mental watchfulness…Totally plugged into the Warehouse energy flow…Kinda like the Crell "Big Machine" in "Forbidden Planet" she thought…Hmmn…One could consider that a moderately disturbing reference if one weren't utterl y confident of ones self-control…And didn't have an Arthur Nielsen to curb one's darker nature…

"…Horowitz…" Vanessa "remembered", suddenly…

"Right…Nice…" Artie nodded.

"He is…Very nice…" Vanessa fondly…

"Strange how you never mentioned him before…" Artie noted… "Not that it's any of my business…Of course…"

"I wanted to see how things went…I think…" Vanessa, blinking…

Hmmn…I best back off a bit…Don't wanna blow out her brain…Not in front of Artie, anyway…

"I should go…I have some patients to see…" Vanessa noted… "I'll be back to check on Mrs. Fredericks as soon as the equipment arrives…Ok?" smile…

"Ummn…Ok…" Artie nodded. "If you're sure she'll be ok?"

"For now, sure…I'll be back…" nod…

"Great…We'll get the room ready and let us know if there's anything we should do for her…"

"I will…" she rose… "It's great seeing you again, Artie…" she beamed…Kissing his cheek…

"Right…Give my best to Chet."

"Who?" she blinked… "Oh, yeah…Chet…Right…Sure…Bye." She paused a moment then smiled nervously and headed out…Artie staring after her.

Ow…This sort of thing gives one the mucho headache…Claudia thought…But all in the Good Cause of keeping Nielsen to watch over me…Need once again nobly justifying somewhat questionable means…

Think I'll take the standard version of forty winks…All seems secure in my House…

And I want to be well rested for our guests when they come…

Of course…Mr. N…If you should be any chance care to examine me for strictly medical purposes to ascertain my continued good health…Naturally you may feel free to do your duty…

Hmmn…The Big Machine…Subconscious desires unleashed destroying the entire noble Crell civilization in one wild night's carouse…

Maybe best to unplug a bit from the Matrix before nap time…Yeah…

Things are going so well, I wouldn't wanna wake up and find I'd killed Artie and wiped out all Humanity…

I mean the wiping out of Humanity would be bad too…

See…Compassion is just roaring back in me…Just gotta clear a few minor obstacles and Her Saintliness can inaugurate the new era of peace and joy…No doubt with the Nielsen non-interference directive firmly in place, democracy respected, of course.

Though of course from now on the good and just will somehow win all elections, the greedy and oppressive will find no safe dictatorships or off-shore island havens, Dick Cheney will do jail time for outing that CIA agent, and Congress will restore the VRA, stop hounding decent immigrants, support safe and plentiful food supplies, and do something about unemployment and global warming…

Or else…

When Arthur isn't looking, natch as to the "or else…"

….

"Jinks?..." Myka looked at his oddly sprawled form…Sort of in a mound off the ground…

Minus visible support…

"Myka…? There's something under me…" he noted, struggling to get up to a sitting position…

"Something…Someone…Dead…I think…" he stared down…

She blinking…

…

Alternate Warehouseverse…

Confinement area…

"So…" the summoned nurse, a short petite brunette, eyed Myka through the cell bars… "You say you have pain?"

"Down here…" Myka noted, running hands down. "I've been starting chemotherapy for my cancer."

"Yeah…Your chart says testing has confirmed that…A pity it won't be fast enough to save you from the bronzer."

"Yeah…Thanks…" Myka smiled brittley.

"Don't mention it…So you want something for the pain?"

"Besides a bullet in the head, yeah…"

"That would be my first offer…"

Sigh…"Seriously? Are your people just naturally sadistic here? You're a nurse, aren't you?"

"Everyone here was fond of CG Wells and is of Agent Lattimer…Former Agent Bering…" the nurse noted, calmly. "We may have to try and treat you humanely…We don't have to like it."

"Right…" Myka nodded.

"So? Where's the pain…?"

"Down here…" She put hand to her abdomen…

"Have you had any bleeding?"

"Yes, a little…In the bucket…" she nodded…

"Ok…Stay back from the door after I come to it…No fast or sudden moves or Charlie there…" she shrugged to indicate the guard narrowly watching them… Will shoot…"

"Great…" she nodded…Stepping back…  
…

Agent Lattimer's office…

"Yes?" Charlotte Dupree-Sutton eyed the staring Lattimer coolly.

"He's enraptured…" Sutton grinned… "As am I, dearest…"

"How did I survive your Miss Bering's treacherous gunshot?" Charlotte asked, frown…With reluctant beam to Sutton's grin. "Quite simple, Agent Lattimer…Immortality doesn't wear off instantaneously…"

"You healed…?" Peter stared.

"After about four hours of being left on the ground, then carried away for suitable burial…Yes." She frowned. "Though that was it as to my regenerative capabilities so I cannot offer another demonstration, sorry."

"A miracle from God Almighty…Perhaps my occasional rare good deeds, or more likely, Nick's purity of soul throughout the centuries won us a little mercy." Sutton beamed. Nicholas smiling fondly at his mother…

"You might have let us know…" Lattimer stared.

"When we had no idea how far this conspiracy ran in your merry band?" Sutton frowned. "I'd say having saved the world earlier and done what we could to contain my brother's evil and saved you and your agent from him, my family'd earned a little respite from harm's way. Though we did contact Mrs. Fredericks a few days ago via Charlotte's long established links to the Regents and she explained that your treacherous ladies had been secured, along with my brother. Who'd at last apparently met his deserved demise, courtesy Warehouse 13 and its unique incarceration system."

"Until Myka began making her claims…And I wondered if perhaps our victory had been as decisive as we'd allowed ourselves to believe." Mrs. Fredericks noted.

"And now…Once again…You need the Count of St. Germain and family to save your bottoms and the world…Well, here we are." Sutton smiled, bowing at end with flourish. Charlotte unable to resist a beam breaking through frown…

Alarms suddenly blaring…Mrs. Fredericks, hard stare to Lattimer…He rushing to his computer screen and grabbing a ringing phone… "Lattimer!"

"It's the confinement area. Our innocent Ms. Bering has just made a break." He turned to the staring group. Turning back to phone. "Get her, whatever it takes. Take no chances. Shoot to kill." He told the phone grimly…


	16. Chapter 16

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XVI…

Alternate Warehouseverse…

Just outside Agent Lattimer's office…

"All right, people! Listen up!" Peter addressed the assembled group of agents and guards…Leena and Jinks among them…All as impeccably suited and groomed as their 1:30am wake-up summons would allow…

The Suttons and Mrs. Fredericks standing to the side…Mrs. Fredericks, a grim yet concerned look on her face…

"I hope you know I expect my family will receive proper protection as civilians…" Sutton hissed to Mrs. Fredericks…Who eyed him coolly…Slight frown.

"Bennett…Enough…We'll be fine…" Charlotte hissed. "Just don't let Nicholas…" she looked round…

"You are all familiar with the subject of our operation here!" Peter displayed a projected image of Myka in her prisoner garb of yellow suit, looking rather forlorn, against the wall behind him. "Former Agent Myka Bering has escaped her confinement cell! I want the suspect found and I want her found quickly! You will use all means at your disposal to bring that about! Some of you know the prisoner well or thought you did…" he paused… "Should you encounter her, your sole responsibility is to apprehend her…Alive if possible, but apprehend her. Decisions as to any information she may try to impart or claims she may make are the responsibility of your superiors…Is that clear?!"

Nods…Leena and Jinks among them…

"Bennett? Where's Nick got to…?" Charlotte whispered as Agent Lattimer continued…Sutton shrugging, looking round as Peter continued…

Aggressive fellow, that chap…Sutton sighed…

Still, my wife's would-be murderess and my demented brother's junior ally is not to be taken lightly or easily, I'm sure…

"She is highly dangerous and may be armed…She has assaulted several agents and killed at least two in the past. She has extensive knowledge of this facility. You will use any force necessary to prevent her from escaping this facility or making use of the items contained here! Do I make myself clear?!"

Nods from the group…

"Right. Go! And stay in constant touch…Agent Jinks? With me…!" Peter called.

"Leena…" he waved her over…Motioning to speak aside…As Jinks stood by… "Please see to the civilians and Mrs. Fredericks. It's possible Bering may try to contact them, hoping they'll be easy marks and potentially fine hostages. Don't let them out of your sight until Bering is taken or…Whatever…"

"Yes, sir."

"And…Sorry to ruin your night." Quick wry smile…

"Never a dull moment, sir. And I'd want to be here for this…" Leena nodded.

"I understand…But don't let her get to you, Lee…" Peter eyed her. "She'll use every trick…Just as she always has."

"Agent Lattimer…" Sutton and Charlotte had come over…

"Professor…Sorry…Count…" slight sarcastic note… "And Countess…" he eyed them. "I've just arranged for Leena here to escort you and Mrs. Fredericks to a safe area while we locate Miss Bering. I hope you understand we can't allow anyone to leave at this…"

"Fine, yes…Very thorough…" Charlotte cut him off. "But you see, Nick's gone missing…"

"Nicholas…?" Peter eyed her. "Why would he go off?" Tensing… "Is he trying to contact Paracelsus again?"

"No, Agent…" Sutton frowned. "Nick's learnt his lesson fully from my insane brother as to his family feelings, I assure you…It's Agent…Miss Bering…I fear he's a bit of a romantic like his father…" wan smile.

"What?"

"He heard about Miss Bering's tales…He's always sympathized with her a bit." Charlotte sighed. "I think he was all too willing to believe her claims and wanted to help her."

"As I say…Like his father…" Sutton beamed. "Romantic to the core…"

"When not chasing five women at once…While married to me." Charlotte glared… "And while playing at being a history professor of somewhat dubious reputation."

"Back up, please…" Peter eyed each of the Suttons. "You think he may have believed her tales of being another Myka and gone to help her?"

Leena rolling eyes to Jinks, wry smile…

Bering does it again…

She may not have been the most competent of agents but she always knew how to use what God gave her…

Mrs. Fredericks now having joined them, sizing up the situation quietly…

"Yes…" Sutton nodded. "In a nutshell…Unavoidable given that romantic family background…So if you could possibly hold on that shooting business?"

"Nicholas just doesn't want to see her get hurt." Charlotte, rather more concerned at Lattimer's hard "I break for nobody" stare…

"I'm sorry…But if your son is helping our fugitive he will be putting his life at risk…Sorry, I can't stand down that order. We can not allow Myka Bering to escape again." Emphasizing the "can not"…

"Pete…Sir…She must be headed for the bronzer…And Claudia…" Leena noted.

"I'm aware of that." He replied, quietly. Brief glance to Jinks…

"Grand, then…Lets just go round her up and corral Nick as well…" Sutton, happily.

"I'm afraid that would be dangerous right now." Peter, coldly. "Agent Jinks? Go and take charge of the team in the bronzer installation, I'll join you shortly." Jinks nodding…Quick glance to Leena, then heading off, calling to two agents to join him…

"Pete?" Leena stared.

"She's fooled us too many times, Leena…" Peter shook head.

"But you don't understand…" Charlotte, increasingly frantic as she sensed the grim situation…And the nature of the trap awaiting Myka.

"…Nicholas isn't immortal anymore… Bullets will kill him! Please, you can't kill him now, he's just starting a real life." Turning to Sutton for support…Pleading look… "Bennett? Tell them…!"

"Agent Lattimer, if you want my family's cooperation regards my brother's schemes…" Sutton, firmly.

"According to all current evidence, your maniac of a brother died in a bronzing malfunction days ago…And you have our apologies…" Peter, calmly. "As to any further help you may be able to offer…Unless it'll assist us in recovering anything he stole or in apprehending Miss Bering…It's academic now."

"You can't just shoot an innocent boy…!" Charlotte, frantic now…

"We won't stand for this, Lattimer!" Sutton, angrily. "You've no right to endanger our son!"

"Agent Lattimer…" Mrs. Fredericks cut in quietly… "A word…"

"Certainly. Professor Sutton…Or Count, as you may…I have complete authority from the President of the United States as well as the Board of Warehouse Regents to take any action I deem necessary to protect this installation." Coldly. "And I would remind you, sir, your wife and son released a highly dangerous criminal whose acts led to the corruption of two agents and the deaths of a number of people and placed the nation and our world at risk. It's only the Regents' clemency that's keeping them both out of a jail cell or the bronzer right now. Mrs. Fredericks?" he turned to her, following her back to his office as the Suttons stared after him…Charlotte desperately glancing to a now furious Sutton.

"We'll see about this, Lattimer!" he raged. "I will hold you personally responsible for my boy's safety!"

Peter entered his office behind Mrs. Fredericks, closing door as she took seat…In his…Artie's…Old chair, behind his desk.

"Lets remember Agent Lattimer, who is in charge here. Whatever increases in personnel and security measures we've allowed you to make since you took over from Agent Nielsen, the Regents have not yet surrendered all authority to you or your government." She noted quietly as he eyed her, standing.

"I don't forget that, ma'am. Are you asking me to call off the search?" he asked, calmly.

"I'm asking you to stop letting your rage at Myka Bering distort your judgment here, Peter. There's no reason not to consider the possibility that this is not our Myka…And certainly no reason to shoot her down like an animal in whatever snare you've set up at the bronzer area. And the boy, Peter…Obviously he's fallen for her…You can't let him be another victim."

"He's the one who unleashed Paracelsus…Started this chain of events…" Peter, coolly. "He's hardly an innocent…"

"He's a boy trapped for over 500 years…He was desperate. And he only knew Paracelsus before as a loving uncle, not the man we know. Peter, don't take this boy's blood on your hands for no reason…"

"What do you want me to do?" he eyed her calmly…Grim set to his features. "I'll obey your orders."

"Peter…" sigh. "Very well…What is the plan regarding the bronzer? You've left her a clear path, more or less, I suppose…?"

"It shouldn't be too hard for her to get there…My people are in place."

"To take her alive, I trust?"

"To take her…Alive, if she surrenders…Followed by immediate bronzing." He stared at her.

"And if Sutton's information suggests her story could be true…That Paracelsus found a gateway or mechanism to escape this world?" hard stare.

"We can always debronze her. But if she's innocent…?"

"We didn't leave her much choice, Peter."

"Her goal is to free Claudia…She probably has a full plan, possibly artifacts concealed by Paracelsus to help her…And I do believe that he may have escaped us."

"Then why let her near the bronzer?" stare…

"We have some protections in place…"

"Peter. Is this meant to be an execution? I will not tolerate that…Nor will the Regents. Oh…" she shook her head.

"I see…Not a sole execution…You want her to free Claudia, don't you? And then? Kill them both?"

"If she's telling the truth, it's not our Claudia in there…She'll have a chance to prove it…" Peter noted.

"And how much 'chance' do you mean?"

"They'll be offered the chance to surrender…If they don't…"

"You accepted the Regents' decision on their sentence, Peter."

"With extreme reluctance…They have no right to what amounts to immortality."

"In bronze?"

"They'll be released, one day…You and I both know that…Some sympathetic fool in the future will release them, buy their sad tales of woe…And God knows how many more people will die as a result." He noted quietly...Cold anger below the calm…

She folded hands… "If an execution takes place, Agent Lattimer, I will have you removed and prosecuted, along with the actual executioners. You understand me, Peter?"

"I understand…" grim nod. "Bering'll be given every reasonable chance to surrender…But I recommend she be allowed to release Donovan…You wanted proof one way or the other, that's the best…And quickest way."

"And highly dangerous, as you yourself just noted." She eyed him. "I can't sanction that."

"If you believe her story, the Donovan we have is innocent…There should be no trouble. If not…" he shrugged calmly.

"I want access to them. I talk to them first." She frowned at him.

"As you wish, ma'am." He nodded. "But if they take hostile action against my people…"

"Your people are free to defend themselves, Agent." She eyed him. "But they will remain in place and in support…Of me."

"Your call, as always, ma'am." He nodded grimly.

…

Original Warehouseverse…

Myka eyeing Jinks as he got to his feet, staring at, what appeared to be, the floor next to the corner where he'd fallen.

On something…Or far more likely, someone…Who'd either vanished immediately…

Or…He felt…

"It's still here…The body…And it is a body…" he sighed, looking up to Myka…

"How can that be…?" she stared.

Ok…He's dead…Claudia told me…If it is him…

And the dead can't speak…

Much…

Though, in Warehouse 13…

Jinks was pulling the body over…The cloak pulling back a bit…And as a bit uncovered, the whole illusion collapsed…

"It's Paracelsus…" he stood up, standing back…

"Are you sure?" Myka, innocently… "Couldn't it be a double? A robot or something…?"

"He's been stabbed…"

"But he was immortal…Wasn't he? Invulnerable…?"

Well, till Claudia in our world used the Stone to make him mortal again…Before she made her deal with him…

And dragged me into all this…Nightmare…Watching Jinks examine the corpse…

"He was wearing the Garrick belt…" Jinks noted. "I saw this on the inventory, it caught my eye…A belt based on the 'Macbeth' play…Conferred invulnerability to anyone wearing it…From 'man of woman born'…Garrick was always looking for the ultimate special effect and he found it here. But why would a man already invulnerable need that? And how could someone have stabbed him to death when he had the protection of two artifacts like the Stone and this…?"

"Maybe they cancelled each other out?" Myka suggested, a bit desperately… "He liked to play with combining artifacts, maybe this was his fall back in case we got the Stone and cancelled his protection there…And he made a mistake?"

"Could be…Or he somehow lost his invulnerability from the Stone and the Belt wasn't enough…" Jinks shrugged. "Claudia would be able to tell us…At least, I hope so. I wish we could find whatever was used on him…Do you see anything? Mykes?" he looked back.

Uh… "No…No, sorry Jinks." She sighed.

Kicking the bloody scimitar back under a shelf from under her foot after he turned…

No need to offer any additional evidence…I've a bad feeling about this…

And now how do we use him as the Big Bad while Claudia settles in as Caretaker? Oh…I never should have trusted her…It's the bronzer for me for sure…

Ok, ok…I can do this…Everyone loves me here…They trust me…

Oh…And now I have to go and screw all this up again…Oh…

But it's not my fault…My intentions have been good…More or less…All through this…

Cecily was bad for Pete…She coulda gone crazy again, later on…And I didn't mean to kill her…It just…

Happened…

And I was just defending myself with the others…Things got all…Messy…

And here I was hopin' and prayin' Claudia was right…Here we'd be ok…Good and loved again…Secure…

Well, maybe yet we can make this work…Just be good ole Myka…Think of Pete and how much he obviously loves you…I can do this, it's all gonna work out…

Somehow…She eyed Jinks, still searching round on the ground, peering under the corpse and unwrapping the bloody cloak from it gingerly…

No…NO! Not the easy solution. I swore I'd give that up and I will…I don't wanna hurt anyone else…

Unless I absolutely have to…

…..


	17. Chapter 17

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XVII…

Original Warehouseverse…

Section 1…Where Artie, maintaining vigil over the two Caretakers, past and current, awaited word of the arrival of Vanessa's equipment for Mrs. Fredericks' care.

Chet? Horowitz? Dr. Chet Horowitz? He frowned…

Aspen skiing five-ten neurosurgeon Chet Horowitz? Hmmn…Sounds like a soap-opera character.

Though I suppose…The 'Horowitz'…Does suggest some grounding in reality…

But why wouldn't Vanessa have told me?

Well, she just did…

"More important things to fret about than the inevitable crashing and burning of your love-life, Nielsen." He told himself.

Claudia…Caretaker Claudia…Wry smile on his face. Well, she does seem to be managing it…Though…Frown…Girl needs to get a little more serious about her new status…And the power at her command…

Still, she handled Paracelsus well, with Mrs. F's help…He can't have much left to throw now.

Mrs. Fredericks…He sighed.

Well, she knew the transfer would be dangerous…And almost always is done in times of the imminent death of the old…Er, Former…Caretaker…That she survives, even in a coma, is unusual. But Claudia could sure use her guidance.

"Well, that's what you're here for, for now, Nielsen." He sighed.

And yet…Still…It seemed almost too easy, given the threat of Paracelsus…I mean, powerful, sure…But he's blundered around like most outsiders who'd learned of the Warehouse from legends or on the Net and had some sketchy knowledge of its power…

Not like a former Caretaker…

Suggesting we may have been right and he is not the Paracelsus who ran Warehouse 9 so many years…

Though he knew to attack the potential Caretaker…That was one bit of correct strategy.

She's shown no signs of trouble yet though…If he was up to something, he either failed or …

…was a lot more subtle than any of us realized.

Which would be in Caretaker tradition, he mused.

"Artie?" Myka's voice on his Farnsworth… "Artie?! Jinks has found something!"

"Myka?" he eyed the anxious face on screen…

"Jinks?" he stared at Jinks' face coming into view next to hers.

"Artie…I think you better come down here…We seem to have found Paracelsus, though not his holograph transmitter. But if it is him, he seemed to have solved our problem for us…"

"Pete!" Myka's eager cry…She hastily handing over her Farnsworth and disappearing from the screen…

Artie eyeing Jinks' image…

"Cancer and other death-related things do make you appreciate the folks you love…" Jinks shrugged, wan smile. "Hey, Pete…" To a Pete entering the area, staring first at the form on the floor…Then the happy Myka now holding his arm.

….

"So…?" Pete blinked at Jinks…Myka happily on his arm…He eyeing her a minute as she beamed at him…

"Paracelsus is dead? Just like that? Dead?"

"Stabbed…Dead…" Jinks nodded, indicating the uncovered, quite visible body. "Artie says he'll come as soon as Vanessa and her people are in to take charge of Mrs. Fredericks…

"Isn't it great?!" Myka eagerly…Uh…

"I mean, terrible but great…No one else has to die! And another evildoer is brought to justice." High-minded nod.

"Yeah…But…" Pete stared at the body… "By whom? And I thought this guy was knife- as well as bullet-proofed?"

"Not anymore, it would seem." Jinks shrugged.

"Are we sure this is Paracelsus?" Pete eyed Jinks. "He's good at deception and we thought he might have a helper or helpees." Jinks shrugging…Your guess as good as mine…

"We still haven't located the transmissions' source…" he noted.

"Pete, you and I should go check out the rest of the Warehouse…" Myka urged. Very eagerly.

"Probably in a bit, Mykes, I agree…"

Oh, yea! She beamed happily.

Don't murder a trusting friend to cover your ass…Get a reward…

I like being back on the Good Guys…

….

Section 1…

Artie frowning at the buzzing alarm on his Farnsworth…

The front door at the B&B? Really? Now, of all times? And it's definitely not Vanessa and Company…

Or should I say, Vanessa, Chet, and Company…

In which case, Company…Would be…Uh, Company…

"Ladies…Forgive me…I will be right back." He told the two reclined forms…Claudia's lusty snoring bringing a smile…Mrs. Fredericks' shallow but steady breathing reassuring him.

"Nielsen…Hello." Professor Sutton eyed him. Charlotte and Nicholas beside him at the door. Charlotte looking rather perturbed.

"Sutton? What are you doing here?" Artie frowned.

"Gracious as always…" Charlotte glared. "Some might inquire how the woman who'd helped save their installation, friends, and the world, back from the brink of death, was…But Agent Nielsen has his own unique brand of hospitality."

"My apologies…How are you, Countess? We're all very glad your phased loss of immortality allowed you to regenerate one last time. Now, if you'll excuse me, the crisis you referred to, that you helped cause?...Is still most definitely underway…" he began closing door.

Sutton… "Wait, there!...OW!" his usual trick of foot in the door by instinct not taking into account his recent loss of invulnerability.

"Sorry. Get your foot out of my door, Sutton." Artie, calmly.

"My broken foot? In a moment…After you let me deliver the reason for our little sojourn to the picturesque hell that is this backwater. I found my brother's journals as requested."

"Oh…Great. Leave them right there. I'll get to them later. Goodbye."

"Hold on…" Sutton, annoyed. "These documents are priceless artifacts and my family property…The journals of one of history's great early scientists…"

"Diaries of a madman and a wizard worthy of stake-burning some would say…"

"His regrettable final years…Some would say his deterioration caused by his labors in the service of Mankind at the earlier version of this very place." Sutton frowned. "Now at least let me get these inside…And lets discuss proper compensation for their use and their proper storage and maintenance during their temporary loan to your organization. Meaning, I want them back asap and intact."

"Sutton…Your 'compensation' is that we didn't charge or bronze your wife and son for releasing that maniac brother of yours." Artie glared. "I have two friends right now suffering as a result of what that man did and is doing."

"And we came all this way with the intent of assisting you…" Charlotte frowned. "Risking lives that are quite precious to us now."

He sighed at her counterglare… "Fine…" he opened the door. "Bring them in and go…I have too much on my plate and no Myka or Pete on hand to handle the pleasantries…"

"Charming…Who could resist such an invitation…" Charlotte, grimly… "Come on then, Bennett…Lets get these in…" she pushed past Artie, entering the B&B…Sutton and Nicholas following, lugging boxes.

"A rather excessive amount of paper if you ask me…But Brother was always a meticulous records-keeper…" Sutton noted to Artie. "Just set those down there, Nick." He pointed to a spot in the hallway.

"Now…These documents are only to be opened and reviewed by authorized personnel under specified conditions as outlined in this letter." He offered Artie a four-page letter which Nielsen stared at. "Which you will sign as an authorized representative of this installation…For insurance purposes."

Artie…Mental cut to shot of Pete with jelly sandwich in hand, rummaging through the boxes, finding a drawing or two of interest… "Hey, Mykes?! Look at this…! Ooops, damn, dropped my sandwich!"

"Was it really necessary…?" he ignored Sutton's ongoing lecture on the pricelessness of the journals and their proper care, turning to the grim Charlotte lugging the last box…

Knew Bennett would find a way to avoid carrying more than one of these…

"…For all of you to come…? Just to deliver these?"

For any of you, actually…

"We're a family again…" Sutton beamed expansively. "We love doing things together as a family…It's been much too long and we've not got all the time in the world as we once did, to bond and reconcile the little problems and annoyances that cropped up over the centuries…"

"And Charlotte would never trust you out of her sight…" Artie eyed him.

"I don't trust him in my sight…" she frowned. "But that's a personal matter...And none of your business…"

"Charlotte…Maria is just my graduate student. She was merely assisting with organizing these papers and making copies of everything…"

"Whereas you seemed more intent on 'copying' her ass…" Charlotte glared.

"Dear…" he glanced at Nicholas, then Artie…

"Yes…Later…" Charlotte, waving it off. Turning to Artie… "But you're right, Nielsen…We had more reason for coming out here than merely delivering papers…Though I did want the filthy things out of my living room where they've been for the past month. Nick has been having visions."

"Indeed." Sutton nodded. "And since they seemed of likely interest to you…And we were concerned…"

"It's not that serious, Father…" Nicholas sighed. "I just thought it might be important to Mr. Nielsen…And Claudia…"

"Yes, where is the dear girl?" Sutton, beaming again…Even Charlotte seeming to brighten a bit… "Nick's been very anxious to see her again."

"Father…" Nicholas, reddening slightly.

"Nick…There's no time to waste now…And this is a girl both your parents heartily…" he eyed Charlotte who gave a somewhat reluctant…Would've preferred at least minor nobility but…Nod… "Approve of…"

"What?" Artie stared…

"Just offering the boy a little support in his romantic endeavors, Nielsen. I'm sure you're aware he rather fancies Miss Donovan and as you know his sterling character…" Sutton, expansively…

"He's a liar, junior con artist, and thief…A chip off the old block…" Artie frowned.

"Mr. Nielsen!" Charlotte, glaring… "I might remind you my boy saved potentially millions of lives at great personal risk."

"He dodged jail time by giving us a little assistance tracking your brother-in-law…" Artie, coolly.

"Now, Arthur…I resent that…" Sutton sputtered… "Nicholas is the purest-hearted boy I know…He was forced to a few extreme actions by a terrible fate not of his making…And has certainly redeemed himself. Plus with his knowledge and experience of the past centuries, once he completes formal college training in a few years, he's sure to become a great man…Historian, adventurer, inventor…Financier, perhaps…Statesman…Why he should be a fine Secretary General of the UN or President of the United States."

"Absolutely…" Charlotte, beaming now…

"Mother…Father…I simply wanted to help…Please, can we not do any matchmaking just right now?" Nicholas, deeply embarrassed. "Mr. Nielsen, I just thought the visions…Concerning my uncle…And Claudia…Claudias…Might be important…"

"Claudias? And your uncle?" Artie, eyeing the boy now, carefully… "What do you mean? Describe them."

"I've seen my uncle, in visions…Very recently, the last few days. But not the man who caused all this disturbance…My old uncle, a good and kind man…A saint…I'm sure it was him…I saw the kindness and love in his eyes again…"

"And Claudia(s)?..."

"She was with him…They were, I mean…Many Claudias…And they seemed to be trying to say something, warn me…And Uncle seemed to be helping her, trying to reach me. I think they wanted to warn me…Have me warn you…And Claudia, perhaps."

Artie stared…

"Has my brother made a return visit since our last encounter?" Sutton asked. "You said the crisis was ongoing and Nick's had a vision even on his way up here with us."

"Actually he's been here the last few days…Attacking Mrs. Fredericks and Claudia on several occasions…And now, since she took over the duty of Caretaker, Claudia's faced a major attack…And beaten it off. For now…"

"I'm truly sorry…" Sutton, sympathetically. "The ladies are all right, though? I see the Warehouse is still relatively intact…And my brother hasn't appeared on world media declaiming to be Emperor-God."

"Mrs. Fredericks bore the brunt and is in a coma…Claudia's resting but doing well. But something has come up…" Artie eyed Sutton. "I don't know yet if it's true or no but…"

"Has Brother been captured? Or, more likely, vamoosed? If so, thank God, nice work…" Sutton smiled.

"Perhaps you and I should talk a moment, Sutton…" Artie sighed.

"He's dead?" Charlotte stared, immediately catching on… "My God…You've killed him?...He really is…Dead?"

"Nielsen?" Sutton, stunned a bit… "Not that I'd be terribly put out by such news…"

"Nothing's confirmed…Yet…" Artie, carefully…

"I wouldn't trust him for a second, Nielsen." Charlotte frowned. "How can he be dead? The Stone made him invulnerable…"

"And that is why I say, nothing is confirmed…I don't know yet…But my people have found what appears to be his body…And it's quite and irreversibly…Dead."

"Oh…" Sutton blinked.

"Bennett…I'm sorry…Well, for you…Dearest…" Charlotte patted his arm.

"You'll have to pardon me if I don't join in the sentiment…" Artie, calmly.

"I…I don't know what to say…" Sutton sighed… "I know what he became…But as a boy…I loved him dearly and he was truly a great and good man. I wish I knew what exactly happened to change him and twist his nature so…May I see the body? Family and all that…"

"I want to check things first…Be sure this isn't a trap…" Artie noted.

"Of course…" Charlotte nodded. "It would be just like him…Bennett, I know you only want to remember your lovable, noble brother…But this maniac would happily fake his death if only to deceive and torment us all."

"When did Uncle…Paracelsus…Die?" Nick asked, suddenly.

"Today, we think…Perhaps after his last attack…If it is him…It could be his power was compromised by the attack, I don't know…I haven't seen him yet."

"I should go with you." Sutton noted. "If he faking and it's not him, I'm the best person to id the body."

"You might be right at that…" Artie pondered.

"No…Wait…" Charlotte shook head. "My husband is suffering the aftereffects of invulnerability and is delusional…You can't go facing him, Bennett. He'll kill you…Permanently…And you promised…" she blanched a bit.

"You swore on your mother's soul you'd grow old with me…Now that we finally can…I'm holding you to that, husband…"

"I'm just going to have a look-see with Nielsen…No danger whatsoever…And his people are on hand to protect me…" he eyed Artie… "They are all still alive, aren't they?"

"For the moment…" Artie nodded. "And it would be helpful if the Countess and Nick could keep an eye on Mrs. Fredericks and Claudia…I haven't wanted to leave them alone."

"Certainly…" Charlotte nodded. "But Bennett stays with us…"

"I should go…" Nick noted, suddenly. "I'm the one having the visions…I might sense something to prove if Uncle's truly at peace or still seeking to destroy."

"Bennett will go…" Charlotte, hastily correcting…

"Mother…" Nick sighed. "This has to end and I'm the best one to help these people do that. Claudia may be in danger…"

"Is…No question…" Artie, firmly.

"…And I want to help…"

"Romance rears its lovely head." Sutton grinned. "My boy is truly after my own heart's inclination…In its more noble and truest form…" he hastily noted to Charlotte's grim stare.

…


	18. Chapter 18

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XVIII…

Alternate Warehouseverse…

Ok…Myka sighed to herself as she hid in what fortunately corresponded exactly to the crowded corner nook of Section 23 she remembered from her own world…

There's no doubt at all that this rather by-the-book, Men's Warehouse-suited Peter is aware my first move will be to head for the bronzer and try to free Claudia.

Always hopin' she is my Claudia and not some sort of murderous evil twin…Like the one who sent me here, again, no doubt.

After all, there are supposed to be not two paired good/evil universes but a whole infinite spectrum of them…Meaning I could be anywhere.

Though it stands to reason anti-Claudia sent me to her universe and not some other.

Meaning, naturally, that my place at home is likely now filled by anti-or whatever, Myka…

Of course…

The day I finally choose to try and sound Pete out on a closer relationship is the day my doppelganger chooses to visit.

But nothing to be making jokes about if Claudia…The Claudia willing to use an artifact to send me here…And by all the rather bitter accounts of the people here…Willing to kill and to use the Warehouse for her own ends…Is teamed with Paracelsus.

They could be tearing my world apart right now…

She…My double…Could be murdering right and left in my name…And sleepin' with Pete…

Ok…No use panicking. Right now is the time to focus…And stay alert.

Especially given that nurse's sweet noting that "Agent Lattimer would have [my] entrails on a platter for this" as I left.

Geesh, it's not like I hurt her or anything…And she was actually pretty sure I was going to kill her when I grabbed the syringe and got the guard to surrender to save her from my claim I'd shove it in her throat, having nothing to lose.

Am I really that bad here?…I mean, is she?

God…Well, apparently I…She…Did murder the here equivalent of HG...CG…Pete's…Fiancee (?!).

Ok, focus…The hounds are sure to be on your trail…

Well, Pete here doesn't even need hounds…Just to sit tight and wait for me to show.

I could try making a break from the Warehouse…Maybe contact the Regents…

Yeah, that's likely to go well…The only one I could conceive of locating, if he exists here, is Mr. Kosan…And I can just imagine how he'd respond to my tale.

Of course there's Mrs. Lattimer…

Whose future daughter-in-law I seem to have murdered…No, I don't think so…

If only I could think of some way to reach the bronzer undetected…

Hmmn…

I'm in a Warehouse full of artifacts allowing for teleportation, invisibility, invulnerability, really fast walking and high jumping, walking through walks, and interdimensional transport, among other things and I can't see any way to get to a place a few hundred feet away?

Ok, Bering…Concentrate and lets use that amazing memory to locate something useful, nearby, and potentially not on ole spit-and-polish Pete's (how he'd ever manage, if he did, to screw things with that ex-wife Marine who looks like Seven of Nine here?…She ought to find him just up her alley…Maybe she's the (former) screw –up here? Just tell me I didn't kill her, too?) list of heavily guarded and alarmed items.

And some kind of weapon wouldn't be a bad idea…At least something to hold Claudia off if I'm wrong and bronzed Claudia is even worse than anti- or whatever Claudia…? Cause if she were anti-Claudia, she'd've blown up in my universe, right?

Though does that make me anti-Myka here?

Well, in any case, we can't be antimatter from each others' pov since I haven't gone boom yet.

Though maybe we have to meet face-to-face for that to happen?

God, this sort of thing give me a headache…

Ok, back to problem at hand…Practical Myka needs to surface and focus.

He wouldn't sleep with her on the first date, would he? Not my Pete…Would he? Oh…

Uh-oh…Someone's coming…

Several someones…She tried to pull back in the corner…Hmmn…

Section 23?...What was that thing we bagged last year…?

Something that let you get out of tight situations…By rising above them…What, damnit?...

Yes!...She grabbed the sheets of paper on the shelf…

Kafka's reversible flypaper…!

Enabling him to live the existence of a fly on the wall…Literally…She rubbed the paper on her hands, then applied it to her feet…

Wait…There is, as always…A catch…A drawback…What was it now?...

OH!…As voices became distinct, headed her way…She clambered right up the shelf and onto the wall…Scurrying up to the ceiling…

Ah, right…Keep it on too long and you do the Jeff Goldblum experience…Becoming Brundlefly…

Or in my case, Beringfly…She peered down at the two agents looking around the section…

Thankfully making Khan Noonien Singh's mistake of a two-dimensional strategy in their search…

….

Original Warehouseverse…

Where a reluctant Charlotte had agreed to Nicholas' accompanying Artie to view the rumored remains of Uncle Paracelsus…On condition that she accompany them, leaving Sutton to tend to the two unconscious…One voluntary, the other, in-…Ladies.

Surely not an unusual task for him, she noted with sugary smile to his frown…

"Charlotte? I try to accommodate the modern tastes having always been a forward-thinking, independent type whatever else I was…But, really…"

"Either I go with Nicholas or he stays here with me and you go…And you haven't had the visions." She insisted.

"Nielsen…" Sutton appealed… "Surely you can agree I'm one to face my brother, if he's got something up his sleeve in this."

"Sutton, all I care about is finding out whether your brother is dead or no…And if he is dead, is it the end of this or no?…" Artie frowned. "If taking Charlotte with us won't hinder us in determining these things, I'm fine with anything that gets me over there quickly."

"Could the ladies really have killed Uncle in that last attack?" Nicholas eyed Artie... "Could he really be dead?" uncertain look…

"Perhaps just his evil nature, Nicholas…" Charlotte, soothingly. "Perhaps your visions testify to his soul being freed…"

"In any case, I need to know as soon as possible in case Claudia faces more attacks." Artie, firmly. "So make up your minds as to who goes and who stays and follow me…"

"Fine…I'll stay…" Sutton sighed. "But at the slightest sign of danger, Nielsen…I'm holding you responsible for my family's safety."

"We'll be fine, Father." Nicholas, smiling nod. "Please take good care of Miss Donovan…"

"Of course, Nick…" sly glance to Charlotte who smiled back… "Seein' as she could be my future daughter-in-law…"

"And Mrs. Fredericks." Artie, firmly. "If our medical team arrives, help them get her set up in the Bed and Breakfast."

"Certainly…Oh, by the way, which room is ours and Nicks? I rather fancy that nice corner one on the second floor?"

"Oh, that is nice. Yes, we'll take that and Nick will take the one to the left…" Charlotte, eagerly.

Artie, rolling eyes…

"Well, shall we?" she beamed… "Come along, Nicholas…" she headed for the main corridor.

"She's a wonder, isn't she?" Sutton beamed to Artie, Artie staring after the departing Suttons…

"Just watch them, and…Sutton…? Don't steal…Anything…I will hunt you down." Artie, grim stare.

"Mr. Nielsen. Whatever the Count of St. Germain may have been forced to, to maintain his Immortal family?...Professor Bennett Sutton is an honorable and distinguished historian." Sutton frowned.

"Right…Just remember everything is catalogued and we do have security measures in place."

"Are you coming or not, Mr. Nielsen?!" Charlotte called…

….

Alternate Warehouseverse…

Mrs. Fredericks now with Agents Lattimer and Jinks and the carefully positioned team at the bronzer area…

She frowning at the marked presence of guns…

"I remind you, Peter, of what I said…I talk to Myka first and there is to be no shooting unless she attacks."

"Yes ma'am…" Peter, coolly. "Copy that, Jinks? Repeat it to the rest." Jinks nodding and heading to the others in their various spots…

"I don't want us to be on opposite sides, Agent…" Mrs. Fredericks sighed at Peter.

"My concern is with the safety of this installation, my country, the world, and my people, ma'am. If that's assured, we have no conflict." Peter, calmly.

"As is mine, Agent…" sigh… "But you'll forgive me if I still hope there may yet be a chance to save Myka Bering from herself."

"If this one is what she claims, that's not a problem here." He noted. "But I don't think there's much room for hope in that department." Cold tone.

"Peter…This work…The Warehouse…Can affect and distort people in more than one way…" Mrs. Fredericks eyed him. "It may have corrupted Myka and Claudia, but I fear it's affecting you as well…"

"I appreciate your concern, ma'am." He nodded, coolly. "But I'm simply doing my duty."

"Duty…" she sighed. "Peter, sometimes that can be the easiest path to destruction…"

….

Ok…Myka on the ceiling watched the two agents move on to another section…

So far, so good…Now…Just gotta make my way and try to think of anything that might help me get past whatever Peter is sure to have awaiting me…

God…He really hates me, this one…

Guess with good reason, but…

Well, that's other Myka's problem once I get outta here and back home.

And I may well have reason to hate her as well when I get back home…

Oh, there's no point in fretting about that now…And it wouldn't be Pete's fault…

Though, geesh…Surely he can tell the difference between me and some evil doppelganger of me?

I mean we even talked about how we'd distinguish ourselves if we ever met one…This being Warehouse 13, it being just barely within the realms of possibility that we might one day…

"Miss Bering?..." Hissed voice…

"Nicholas?" she looked down to see Nick staring up at her…

"Oh…Please…" she began…

"Don't worry, I'm here to help you…" he whispered… "But you'd best stay up there for now, there are agents everywhere, combing the Warehouse…"

"Right. Nick, I'm not…"

"So I've heard…" he stared… "Not the Miss Bering we saw turn so sadly…It's true, then? You're not from here?"

"Claudia…Your Claudia and your uncle, in cahoots, I think, sent me here…They've escaped with that other Myka, to my world, somehow. I think the Claudia in the bronzer is my Claudia…I have to get to her and get her out…She's the only one who can figure out what they did to us…What they used to bring us here."

"Agent Lattimer has the bronzer secured…If you go there, he's sure to capture or even kill you."

"So I figured…And given his attitude toward me, kill's a lot more likely…But there must be…" she paused at his urgent wave to be silent…Moving hastily and quietly to a dark ceiling corner.

"Nick?" Sutton's voice from just down the corridor…

"Nicholas…Thank God…" Charlotte's…Both running to him…

"Sir…" Leena, just behind them… "I must ask you to return to Agent Lattimer's office."

Glancing round carefully…

"She's not here, Agent." Nick shrugged. "I just wanted to try and find her before Agent Lattimer's people shoot her. But there's no sign of her."

"All right…But we're heading back. Let me just check in…" Leena reached for her Farnsworth…

"Yes, we must go back…" Charlotte insisted. "This is no place for you right now, Nicholas."

"Good heart, son…" Sutton noted, wry smile. "But we've got to leave this one to the professionals…"

Leena pausing as she noted Nick's glance flitting upwards…Following his look, her instinctive sensation…

"Bering!" she called, grimly. Raising Tesla to shoot…

"No!" Nick grabbed at her…Wrenching the Tesla from her grip before a hard blow to the stomach sent him stumbling…He quickly firing before Leena, tensed and arms up for fighting stance, could dodge his aim.

"Nicholas?!" Charlotte, startled…Both she and Sutton eyeing the crumpled girl now on floor…

…And Myka Bering, crouched against the upper corner, high above them, peering down anxiously.


	19. Chapter 19

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XIX…

Alternate Warehouseverse…

"Son, do you have any idea what you've done?" Sutton staring… "This place is under some kind of martial law…And as a historian I can tell you people violating martial law usually do not come to happy ends."

"She's a dangerous criminal, Nick…" Charlotte, anxiously… "We're not equipped, especially right now being mortal again, to deal with dangerous criminals. Nick, she nearly killed me a short time ago."

"Father…Mum…I don't believe she is dangerous…Myka? Ms. Bering? You are really not the Myka who tried to kill my mother?"

"No…" Myka, trying to keep her voice low… "I'm not that Myka…You've got to believe me. She's escaped to my world…Claudia as well! They sent me here!"

"And she no doubt wants us to free Claudia from that bronzer thing to help her go home?" Charlotte eyed Myka…

Well…

"She's very likely just trying to use you, Nick…We should be expert at recognizing that…" Narrow glare to Sutton who gave her a "Charlotte, really?…Could we give it a rest just now?" look…

"I don't believe she is…I think she is telling the truth, Mother." Nicholas shook his head. "Uncle once spoke of other worlds to me, before he changed and began hurting people. He was very excited about the possibility that he might find a way to contact his counterparts somehow, share knowledge with them. He was troubled by the dangers the artifacts he guarded posed and wanted to speak with others who knew the burdens he suffered under." Sigh… "I was a boy then, impatient to be with my friends and at my games, I didn't pay attention as I should've…I might've helped him, made it easier for him."

"Paracelsus spoke to you about the other world…Worlds?" Myka, edging slowly down to a closer point… "Did he ever tell you how he hoped to cross over? Or speak to the others, his counterparts?"

"Nothing that I can recall…Just that he was very excited…I had the impression he felt he was near to achieving something. Then, afterwards…He changed…And he stopped confiding in me, in anyone…Dismissed all his assistants…Locked himself away and disappeared for days on end. Then he returned and although he seemed rather more like his old self, terrible things began to happen to people around him…And us."

"That must have been after…It must have his counterpart, taken his place…" Myka noted.

"Yes…Well, Ms. Bering…" Sutton eyed her as she held her place attached to the wall, still about halfway up… "You suppose you might come on down? It's a bit disconcerting talking to you like this…"

"Yeah…I will…I shouldn't expose myself to this artifact I'm using for too long. But, you promise me you'll hear me out? You won't start calling for Agent Lattimer and his guys?"

"If you're innocent, why should you be afraid of Agent Lattimer?" Charlotte noted. "He's the Warehouse's chief security person, under that Mrs. Fredericks, isn't he?…Why wouldn't you trust him?"

"He's trying to put me in the bronzer without even listening to my story!" Myka insisted. "He's on some kind of rage thing with his Myka, the one who came from here…She killed his girlfriend, I guess."

"So she did, yes…And again, I point out, nearly killed me…And you just resorted to considerable threat of violence to break jail." Charlotte frowned. "So why should we trust you, potentially with our newly rather precious lives? Surely you can see where it's got to be much more likely and reasonable that you are the same woman, merely attempting to tell a wild tale to escape?" Expectant stare…

"Because if you don't…" Myka, exasperated…Though a bit startled by Nick's rather obviously infatuated stare…What was she up to with that poor kid? "…Paracelsus and the other Claudia get my world's Warehouse…And sooner or later, they're very likely to come here to settle old scores or seize your Warehouse. Look, I threatened the nurse and the guard but I didn't kill them. I haven't tried to kill you. Nick believes I'm telling the truth."

"Absolutely…" Nick nodded eagerly…Charlotte frowning…

Yeah…Great…Myka sighed…Thanks…

"…Look, can't you at least admit the possibility of what I'm sayin' is true? You just spent the last 500 years proving the impossible is very possible, with the help of the Warehouse. And if you need a final convincer…" she crawled down the wall to the floor. Standing before them…

"Leena's Tesla is there…" she nodded at the Tesla on floor… "I'm unarmed. If you won't give me a chance, take it and cover me. You can tell Agent Lattimer I attacked Leena. Though when she comes to …And is able to tell Lattimer that one of you attacked her..."

"She has a point, there." Sutton noted.

"Lets just leave then…" Charlotte shrugged… "Come on, Nicholas. We'll leave this to the people here to deal with. They're the professionals…Good luck, Ms. Bering…Modestly hard feelings if you are the one who tried to kill me, otherwise, we're good." She eyed her…

"Why did I do that, anyway?" Myka asked.

"I heard you and Claudia talking to my brother-in-law…You…Or rather, Ms. Donovan, mentioned your killing of Agent Wells, among other things. They were, I believe, in the process of blackmailing you to join them…Or rather, confirming the arrangement…I happened upon you at just the wrong time and you shot me in the face." Careful stare.

Whoa…

"Sorry…" Myka sighed. "Glad you recovered so well…" a bit brightly. "Good thing the remnants of your Immortality lasted like with ours…Though it was different for her…She got shot through the heart by Paracelsus."

"As did I, actually…By you…" Charlotte eyed her. "All right, Nick…" she turned to face Nicholas. "I don't think she was faking about not knowing how she killed me…Maybe she's telling the truth. But we can't risk helping her…We'll just let her go on her way."

"Charlotte, if the young lady is innocent…" Sutton began.

"I'm not taking chances with Nick!" she insisted.

"I don't wish to abandon her, Mother…" Nicholas began…

"Is that some artifact talking…?" Charlotte frowned, turning back to Myka. "Because I'll tell you Ms. Bering, if you've done anything to affect Nick's emotions or judgment about you…"

"I'd hope my counterpart would have the brains to target someone more important…To the Warehouse, I mean…" she added to Charlotte's fierce…And Sutton's increasingly upset…face…

Our boy, not important?

"And even if I choose to settle for you three, why would I try to sell you such a story when I could use my artifact to make you trust me?"

"You could be…"Sutton pointed out. "We might not be able to notice…And even with an artifact a little plausibility helps."

"Father…" Nick sighed. "I really do believe her. And I don't believe we'll be safe if we leave her to her fate."

"I could use help…" Myka nodded carefully. "I know Pete…Agent Lattimer…Has the bronzer area locked up tight. He's hoping for another shot at me, and maybe Claudia as well."

"Can't say as I'd blame him…" Charlotte noted calmly.

"Mum…Please…" Nick urged.

"Not turning the lady in or shooting her myself is the extent of my benevolence here, Nick…" Charlotte shook her head.

"Just what could we do for you in any case?" Sutton asked. "We're neither bullet-proof nor technically proficient with the Warehouse."

"But you are expert con artists…" she eyed them in turn…Wan smile…

"Well, necessity has provided us with a certain talent in that area, over the centuries…" Sutton, a bit grandly…

"Excuse me…" Charlotte, glaring…

"Oh, come on…Charly…" Sutton grinned. "You and Nicholas didn't suddenly develop that ability to deceive you used to get into the good graces of the Warehouse staff…Some of your routines over the years have been quite impressive."

"For Nick's sake, only…" she sputtered in protest…

"I see…" he nodded, grinning more… "And of course Nick's happiness and security required that museum of a mansion you came to own…Just how did you achieve that, given our estate was seized for taxes in the late 1500s? Not to mention various jewels and objects d'art acquired under rather dubious circumstances?...And I have the documents I used in attempts at blackmailing you to prove the dubiousness…"

"I was alone, with a child…" she glared… "Abandoned…"

"I sent money…On the rare occasions I had it to spare…" Sutton noted. "You always sent it back, except that time Nick was ill for a day or so and you though perhaps the immortality had 'worn off'."

"I was terrified…" she shook her head. "I was no expert on the occult…And there was no one I dared speak to about him…They might have burned us as witches…And who knew but that something like that might actually kill us."

"It doesn't, by the way…" Sutton noted to Myka… "I was burnt at the stake twice…I had a radical period…" he turned back to Charlotte… "And I did come when you sent that messenger…With all I could beg or steal…"

"I know…" she sighed. "I was touched, Bennett…" wan smile. Hesitating…

"Do you both really believe she's telling the truth?" she eyed husband and son…

"I do…" Nick earnestly.

"Can't say for sure…But I think so…" Sutton noted… "And I trust my son's rather infatuated but usually sound judgment of character."

"All right…" she shook her head… "For the hell of it, one time we'll try it as a family." Wry smile…

…..

Original Warehouseverse….

"He can't possibly be dead, can he?" Charlotte asked as she and Artie made their way back toward where Pete, Jinks, Myka, and the apparently dead body of Paracelsus awaited them.

"Is that a rhetorical question or directed to me?" Artie asked. "Because the obvious answer is he certainly could be dead and in fact ought to be…"

"Rhetorical, but thank you for the very obvious answer, Agent Nielsen." Charlotte, a bit annoyed, sarcastic nod. "I simply mean I find it hard to believe Paracelsus could fall so easily." Offhand wave…

"I do too…" he nodded, keeping a careful look ahead as they made their way. "But it was a tremendous amount of energy he was channeling for his attacks…He wouldn't be the first ego-inflated madman to be done in by his own arrogance. But, again, I doubt we'll have it that easy…"

"Rather hard to believe…Given you people control the treasures of the Warehouse…" she eyed him. "Haven't you ever considered the advantages of good security for a place whose existence threatens the world?"

"More people, more chance for people to be corrupted…We prefer to handle things with a combination of minimal but expert staff…" he paused…Looking round…Ok, he waved her ahead… "…And secrecy…"

"And look how well that's worked out…" she noted, sardonically.

"Actually, apart from your brother-in-law who clearly had an advantage, it's worked out quite well for the world till now."

"Yes, like mutually assured destruction…But if one fires off those missiles just once there is no fall-back or reset button…" Charlotte, coolly.

"Kept abreast of the world, have we?" he smiled.

"We'd not lived in a cave, Agent. And I was one of the earliest members of a number of disarmament committees…Both conventional and nuclear weapons…I do care about the world, sir." She frowned.

"Of course…Sorry." He nodded. "And I actually am aware of your record, Countess…" wry smile. "How did you manage to convince Mrs. Roosevelt you weren't the same woman she'd worked with on disarmament fifty years earlier?"

"Just claimed to be the grand-daughter, what else…Lovely woman, Eleanor, by the way. We used to share notes on the foibles of our husbands. She was actually much more lovely as a young woman than she got credit for."

"It must have been something…To see so much…" he noted, genuine smile. "Followed the course of history from Europe in 1500s to the modern day. You and Sutton should try to work together, I think your insights could be valuable…Not to mention profitable…"

"I think we'd have to stick to historical fiction…And the occasional insightful essay. He does have a flair for writing you know." She beamed a bit.

"He actually does…You know I have all his books as Bennett Sutton…He has a good eye and I guess when not chasing fortunes, a pretty thoughtful approach to History."

"All he ever needed was focus, really…I knew he could be someone I could be proud of if he'd just have confidence in himself. It is hard being the younger brother of a world-shaking genius you know. And Paracelsus was never one to offer a great deal of support to less gifted types, even before he changed. Why were you looking about there, just now?" She suddenly asked.

"It's a rather dangerous section…Some mighty powerful artifacts, apart from the truly death-dealing ones in special storage, are kept here. I just wanted to be sure we weren't walking into Paracelsus' little trap."

"Yes…It's sad, truly…" she was pensive as they kept on… "He was such a good man, even if a bit impatient at times. He did try to help Bennett…I rather think some of that literary style came from their work together. I wish I understood what happened to him, to cause this horrible change in him. It frightens me…" she looked at Artie who regarded her…

"It won't affect Nick or Bennett…" he insisted kindly. "I'm sure it's related solely to Paracelsus' work for the Warehouse. Believe me, I've seen what the Warehouse can do to good men and women, over time. And even with the…Best intentions…" he was quiet.

"To you, too?" she eyed him.

"Yes." Nod.

"But you overcame the compulsion…"

"Not everyone can…I have great help and support…Others, including your brother-in-law…May have lacked that…Or the cause was different…Or…"

"…Or they were fundamentally flawed to begin with…" Charlotte, carefully…

"Sometimes…" nod.

"Why then?" she asked.

He eyeing her… "Why keep this place?"

"Yes, if it's so dangerous and alluring…Why keep it open and accessible? Why don't your Regents seal it up and bury it in the earth forever?"

"That was Warehouse 5…" he smiled. "The problem is, these artifacts don't stay buried…Someone finds them or they resurface on their own, sometimes quite literally…And new ones get created, all the time. The Warehouse and the artifacts in of themselves are nothing…Just a channel for the power of the natural, occult, and mystic energy present in the world, among all living things and in Humanity. This is the best way found, over centuries since Warehouse 1, to keep track of this power and these things and keep them under some kind of control."

"I suppose…" she shrugged. "But it seems the cost is very high…Even perhaps, too high?"

"I can only hope, in the end, the benefits outweigh the cost. Sometimes, it's the one thing that keeps me going, that hope." Wan smile.

"Artie?!" Jinks' voice…

"Hey. How's our friend?"

"Still behaving himself…Oh…Uh, no offense intended…" Jinks eyed the Countess, just entering the section behind Artie.

"None at all taken, Agent." Smile. "I hope he is behaving himself and at peace at last."

"Artie!" Myka's happy voice…He looked to see a somewhat stunned if pleased Pete, firmly encircled in Myka's tight embrace… "Come and see…We got the bad guy all set! How's Claud and Mrs. F? Oh, hi…" blinking stare at Charlotte…

Always a bit disconcerting to view someone whose alternate universe doppelganger you killed….

Unintentionally…She was gonna tell everyone about Claudia's plans for me…

…..


	20. Chapter 20

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XX…

Alternate Warehouseverse…

Charlotte and Sutton, reluctantly…Nicholas all too eagerly, for their tastes, following Myka's cautious lead via a bit of a maze of sections which she hoped followed the same slightly contrary and devious path to the Bronzer area that it would have…She believed…In her own universe's Warehouse.

At least, she hoped so…

And so far, so good…

Though disturbing that no agents seemed to be patrolling these particular sections…She'd expected this Peter would give her a route to the Bronzer but not this easy a one…

Either she was going exactly the way he'd counted on her going…Or, this was nowhere near the way to go…

Well, no point in getting the Suttons…Or whatever name the Countess and Nick preferred to use…To questioning her ability to lead this merry band…

All roads eventually lead to the Bronzer…She'd little doubt that this world's Peter would throw her a clue or two if he found she wasn't headed toward whatever sort of ambush he had waiting.

Likely to be a pretty serious ambush, too…He clearly was not taking the murder of his fiancée thing well…

Hafta to mention it to HG…I wonder how she'd take learning her counterpart was engaged to and presumably in pretty deep with Peter Lattimer…

Well, why shouldn't she be?...Pete's no one to turn one's nose up at, even if not on her genius level…And this Pete clearly pushed on the intellect portion…

Hmmn…Might not be the best thing, letting her know. Disturbing her secure new existence and all…And just when she herself was about to try and see if things might move to a new level.

Not that she had any concerns…No…

"Agent Bering?" Sutton's somewhat puzzled tone brought her out of her reverie…He having moved ahead to her as Charlotte and Nick waited.

"Huh? Oh, sorry…I was just trying to be sure we're heading in the right direction…Rounabout route and I'm not sure if this world matches mine perfectly as to where things are in here." Wan smile.

"Of course… I just wanted to be sure you weren't uncertain as to which way to proceed or just trying to dodge Lattimer's people. We actually may be of some help here." Smile.

"Nick's been at the Bronzer, of course…Same as in my world." Myka nodded. "Yeah, thanks…"

"Look…" Sutton, kindly… "We know something about being strangers in a strange land. You aren't alone in this and we will do anything we can to help…So long as Nick and my wife aren't put at risk."

"Thanks…" she nodded.

"Nick…" he called, in low voice, turning back… "Agent Bering could use a little help here…"

"Coming…" Nick replied, rather pleased…

Charlotte frowning a bit…And hurrying with him to the others…

"Just need to see if you can confirm we're on the right track, Nick." Sutton noted. "Ms. Bering's not completely sure everything's the same in this world."

"I'm not quite sure, Father…Myka…" smile… "It looks like areas I passed the last time…"

"Ms. Bering…" he corrected at Sutton's hard stare…Seconded by Charlotte's.

"I'll take a look ahead, if that's ok?"

"Lets go…" Myka nodded.

"Best to let me go with Nick…" Charlotte firmly, pasting nonchalant look… "I mean in case Agent Lattimer has his people closer to your Bronzer. They won't be suspicious of us…"

Nick, slightly disappointed look…

"Sure…Ok…" Myka nodded at Charlotte's mix of frown and plea…

"We'll just have a quick look and be right back, come on, Nick…" Charlotte urged him away, he following her a bit reluctantly as Sutton and Myka watched.

"Best to pull back a little, Ms. Bering…In case anyone comes this way." Sutton suggested, she nodding and stepping back with him to a dark corner of the section.

"Professor Sutton?" Myka hissed. "Nick seems a bit…"

"Yeah." Nod.

"She…My counterpart…Didn't…?" worried look…

"I certainly hope not…" frown at her. "Though I don't think it went any further than some flirtation…And my boy being a son of his father…" wan smile… "I suppose it's only fair to remember it takes two to tango."

"Hope Mrs. Sutton…The Countess…Accepts that…And that I wouldn't…"

"Charlotte will be fine…If she really doubted you, you'd be in Agent Lattimer's hands now, regardless of my or Nick's protests."

She nodded to his grin…

"Here they come…" he noted…

Nick in view, making a waving motion…As if trying to warn while being…

Uh-oh…Myka eyed Sutton, both realizing…

"Don't, Agent Bering…" Mrs. Fredericks noted quietly…Stepping from just behind Nicholas…Tesla trained.

"Leena…" she whispered. Leena, leading Charlotte, likewise under Tesla cover…

"How did you?" Myka stared at Leena…

"Your rope tying skills leave something to be desired, Agent…" Mrs. Fredericks, slightest of smiles. "And Leena had orders from me to let you escape her. Though, young Mr. Sutton's enthusiasm helped to make the scene a bit more believable on the Warehouse security footage. Sorry, Countess, I just didn't want you and your son to try and do anything foolish for Agent Bering's sake after we found you. Leena?" she and Leena put their Teslas down.

"So you do believe me?" Myka, relieved…

"Not exactly…I'd be rather foolish to believe you blindly, based on that story of yours…" Mrs Fredericks sighed. "But something is very wrong in all of this and I do sense you're not the person you were. Plus I fear Agent Lattimer's a bit too out for vengeance here and that it's clouding his judgment. So, I'm willing to bring you to the Bronzer and allow you a chance to unbronze Claudia so that we can get to the bottom of this."

"Thanks. Thanks so much, Mrs. Fredericks…" Myka, earnestly.

"But I am as willing to shoot you and Claudia as Peter would be if you turn out to be trying to deceive us." Stern frown.

"Right…" nod. "But…" Myka eyed her new ally "How can you get us to the Bronzer with Peter's men all over the place…"

"I've my ways. Agent Bering." Quiet stare.

….

Original Warehouseverse…

Nicholas examining the corpse with Artie.…As Jinks, Pete, a rather clingy Myka, and Charlotte watched…

"It is Uncle…" Nicholas nodded. "The tunic and chain were what he wore…And I remember the scar on his hand there…" he pointed to a small burn scar. "I was there the day he did that, pouring molten lead from a pot."

"And you and Jinks found no other artifacts on him but what we've got here?...The cloak, the rings, and this…" Artie held up the bloody scimitar, found by Jinks under the shelf where it had been kicked.

"No, nothing…" Nicholas nodded.

"Pete? Nothing for you and Myka, either?" Artie looked over.

"Nothing else so far, Artie…" Pete sighed.

"Not a thing…Sorry…" Myka added, slight nervous nod.

"What about the transmitter? Any sign of that yet?"

"Well…Nick and Jinks were about to start with me again on the triangulation thing when you showed, Artie." Pete noted.

"Lets try and find it…It's probably another dead end but there might be something useful we can learn from it." Artie sighed. Eyeing the corpse again…

"I don't understand…" Charlotte shook her head. "Paracelsus should have been immortal and invulnerable…How could he just die, like that?"

"He didn't just die…Claudia stabbed him and that's obviously what killed him…Which should have been impossible." Artie noted. "Of course it's possible he was weakened by fighting with Mrs. Fredericks before but…"

"Artie, if he died of this wound…?" Jinks noted.

"How'd he manage to attack Claudia and Mrs. Fredericks a little while ago? Yes, that is a question…" Artie noted.

"Then maybe this isn't Paracelsus…Our Paracelsus…" Charlotte suggested.

"It's too bad you can't do a DNA test on him…" Myka noted…

Artie and Jinks staring at her…Even Pete…

"Actually, we could…" Artie noted. "If one of the Suttons would be willing to cooperate…?"

"What?" Charlotte stared…

"Just a throat swab should do the trick…" Artie smiled. "At least then we'll know for sure that this is Paracelsus…"

Damn…Myka frowned…I didn't even think of that…

Well, still…Big deal…So they know it's him…Case closed…

"Of course, even if it is a Paracelsus…" Artie noted. "It could be some sort of deception…In fact it would have to be…"

"Artie…?" Pete eyed him… "You're not saying we're dealing with body swapping or something…?"

"Hmmn?"

"Can you people do that?" Charlotte blinked. "I'd heard stories…"

"Artie…" Jinks stared… "You don't think Claudia…?"

"What?" Myka, nervously… "Steve? That's crazy…It couldn't be…"

"That's where I'd go…" Pete noted… "If I wanted to have the Warehouse and didn't think I could get it in my current form…"

"No…!" Myka insisted. "I…That's silly!"

And just a bit too close to the truth…

"No, I don't think so…" Artie shook his head. "Both Mrs. Fredericks and the Warehouse itself would have detected Paracelsus' aura in Claudia…No, he didn't project himself into Claudia. But…I find it hard to understand how he managed to die from a stabbing yet attack two Caretakers so short a time ago."

"Could it be a clone? Something like that?" Pete suggested.

"Unlikely…Paracelsus can only do what's possible for the Warehouse and human cloning isn't among our artifacts as it still hasn't been perfected yet…At least not yet in any way that wouldn't take years to grow up an adult clone." Artie frowned at the body.

"So…Maybe he's just dead." Myka suggested. "He got too puffed up and thought nothing could stop him and after Mrs. F weakened him he bled to death from the earlier wound or it affected him once he lost his immortality. Internal bleeding or something like that…"

"It's possible…" Artie frowned… "But there's something seriously wrong here."

"Why don't we try and find that transmitter?" Myka urged suddenly…

Nothing like an important yet distractive task to …Uh, distract…

And get our minds off in a safer direction…

"That's probably a good idea…" Artie nodded. "Jinks, you, Myka, and Nick…And of course you, Countess, to watch Nicholas…"

Charlotte nodding…Content…

"Finish the triangulation…And Pete can help me bring our friend back to my office…"

"What?" Myka, Pete together…

"Am I suddenly hard to understand…?" Artie eyed them. "Pete, you're the strongest of us and I want to try that DNA test…Sutton's back with Claudia and Mrs. Fredericks and he'll do fine as a comparative subject…He's the closest relative, after all…"

"Why not take Nick?" Myka suggested. "He shouldn't be out here anyway, it's not safe for a boy…"

"I think I prefer him here so long as I can stay with him than having him lugging his dead uncle about…" Charlotte noted firmly.

"Two samples are better than one, Artie…Or even three…" Myka, high-mindedly.

"That's ok…I got it…" Pete insisted.

"Yeah, but…" she began…

"Mykes…Could I have a word? We'll be right back…" he noted to the puzzled group. She frowning, but reluctantly…Following…

"What is up with them today?" Artie asked Jinks who shrugged.

"Mykes…" Pete had led her to a quiet spot just a section down. "I get what all this is about…"

"You do…?" she blinked.

"Hanging round me, wanting me to stay and all…I understand…" his look, sympathetic…

"Yeah?" she stared…

That's a kind look…Not a "I know who you are and I saw what you did look"…

Maybe it's a "I've been dying to get together with you, too" look?

"Well…Pete…" she began…

"Is there anything new?"

"New?"

"The cancer, Mykes…Have you had any new word? Is that what this is about? You know I'm here for you…"

"Cancer…?" blink…"Right, the cancer…"

Oh, God…I have cancer? I don't have cancer…Or…Maybe I do and just didn't know it back home…Oh, God…

"So?" Pete eyed her…

"I…I…Uh…Well, cancer…You know…" she shrugged… "Pretty big weight on my mind and all…"

What kind?…What kind?! Do we have an artifact for it?!

Geesh, don't you love me? I have cancer and you're not stealing an artifact to use to save me? You're trusting to regular medicine?

"Is there news, Mykes? Bad or good, I want to be in the loop…"

Along with…?

"No, nothing new…It's just…The weight and all….The impact…Just hitting me now, ya know?" she smiled nervously. "Sorry if I've been hanging on you too much…"

Geesh…A lot of guys would thank their lucky…

"Any time, Mykes…It's what I'm here for…"

"Thanks…But you know…Maybe…" she put a hand on his arm… "Maybe I want a little more than just cancer stuff comfort…"

May as well go for broke here, right?

"Maybe I've been thinkin' we ought to try and use this time as a chance to get a little closer?" she looked at him.

He stared… "Mykes…?"

"I love you, Pete…" she smiled. "I'm sorry if it has to come out like this, now…When I'm sick with that kind of cancer…But, you know. No time like the present, huh?" earnest look…

"Myka…I don't know what to say…"

"There's a first…" she grinned, sincerely…

In any universe…

"But you could try…'I love you, too, Myka'…" she eyed him.

"Unless of course…"

He grabbed her suddenly, kissing her…

Phew…She beamed as he released her…

"Uh…Sorry…"

"Oh, no…" brightly… "I kinda wish you'd do it again."

He smiled…Then blanched just a bit… "Myka? You didn't get bad news…I mean, really bad news…? This isn't some desperate thing where you want to let it all hang out before…"

"No…" she frowned… "Geesh…Pete…You don't believe I could love you?"

God, what's wrong with this girl? Does she have ice water in her veins?

"I know you do…" he shook his head. "But I just…I mean we've always…"

"I feel like a change…I'm sorry if I had to get sick with that…Kind of cancer…"

God, what kind? I gotta get to my medical records…And start getting tested…

"People get over ovarian cancer, Mykes…It's a tough spot, I know…But…"

Ovarian? Oh, my God…

"…I just wouldn't want you to let worry over this…Not that I don't appreciate…" he fumbled a bit…

"Hey." She frowned. "When I say 'I love you' it doesn't come with qualifications and it's not because I think I might croak soon…It's because I love you. Now, what do you say?"

He stared…Then, smiled… "I say…I love you too, Myka."

"Damned about time…" she embraced him…

"Uh…Ah…Artie…" he noted, gasping as they kissed.

"Him you can tell I'm dying and this was a last fling…Kidding…" she frowned at his stare…

"We will have to tell him and the others…Soon…" Pete noted.

"Lets see how my treatment goes…Ok?" she smiled. "The one bit of news I have actually is that things don't look so bad…But let me see what my doc says in full detail, ok?"

Spontaneous recoveries aren't impossible, right?

God, lets hope so…Oh, I gotta make an appointment for yesterday asap…

"Really?" he eyed her. "Why didn't you say something?"

"We're so busy…Crisis that could kill us anyway…And I don't have confirmation of anything yet." She noted.

"Mykes…That would be such good news…"

"Ahem…" Artie had come in search of his errant agents…

"If you two have had your chance to discuss matters…?"

"Yes…Yes, we have…Thanks, Artie." Pete nodded.

"Yeah…Absolutely…All discussed." Myka nodded. "Back to work and alls well…"

"Great…Cause I would like to get back and look after Mrs. Fredericks and our new Caretaker…" Artie noted. "Pete, if you'd be so good as to come and give a hand with our latest deceased friend…"

"Lets go…Nothing I like more than lugging a corpse out of the Warehouse…" Pete nodded.

"Hey…" Myka hissed…As Artie turned and left.

Kissing the startled Pete on the lips firmly…

"That's for being you…See ya later." She beamed.

"Yeah…" he nodded, blinking…

….

Section 1…

A somewhat bored Sutton eyeing his charges…Mrs. Fredericks in one chair, in comatose state…Claudia, in her chair, snoring away…

There was a time…There was…A time…

When the prospect of two ladies unconscious…

Well, that was then…In an era where concepts of sexual abuse were somewhat looser…And he himself somewhat more resistant to a knife in the ribs or any other similar time-honored method for a lady to maintain her virtue…When desiring to maintain it…

Or, sometimes wishing to at least give the semblance of desiring to maintain it…For forms' sake and the salvation of one's eternal soul…

He looked over at Claudia…

Pretty, that…Would be nice if things worked out for Nick with a girl who understood his situation…Had access to incredible sources of power and wealth…Strictly under firm moral restraint, naturally…But in that desperate grey time when say a child might be ill…A father-in-law might desperately need an emergency loan…

Handy…

Plus the damned thing could kick the bejezus out of anything that might ever threaten the lad. Charlotte would be bound to appreciate that in a prospective daughter-in-…

"Hey!..." Claudia, harshly…Sitting bolt upright. "What are you doing here, Sutton?!" icy, grim tone.

"Ms. Donovan? Mr. Nielsen asked me to look after you two. Nick and Charlotte have gone to see about my brother's supposed corpse."

"Artie asked you…?" she stared. "When did you come here? What are you trying to pull with me?!" grim tone…Hasty feeling of pockets for possible weapons.

Hmmn…She sensed a flicker of the Warehouse's power surging…Like the calm steady force of the tides…

No need for any other weapon, not now…She relaxed…

And this wasn't the Sutton she knew…With something of a legit grudge against her.

Though, heck…I didn't shoot that snoop of a wife…

"Sorry…" she smiled, brittley… "I wasn't sure if it was you or Paracelsus…I'm a little on edge just now."

"Understandable…" he nodded.

Could swear she was feeling for a knife just now…

Well, Ms. Donovan always did strike as the type capable of extreme self-defense…

"So your son and Charlotte…Gone with Artie? To view…"

"What seems to be my unfortunate brother's corpse, yeah. No confirmation on that yet, though, so I'd remain on guard…"

"Right. Thanks." She smiled.

Easy goes it…The Queen should be gracious as well as ruthless as the sit allows…

"How's Mrs. F.? Artie had some medical staff and stuff coming for her…"

"Still on the way, I gather…" Sutton smiled. "But for the moment, she seems ok."

"Good…" Claudia, relieved expression.

"So, how is Nick?"

That pathetic puppy…Can't even figure out how to make the most of Immortality and invulnerability…And wants to give it up at the first chance?

What a chump…No wonder he has bug-eyes for Myka…

Whoa…Hold…Recheck the data banks from my late, lamented partner…

Right…We were…As it goes…Close, here.

Lovely…I have my own puppy…

Well, what the heck…No reason Nielsen can't have a spot of competition from the young Count…Assuming he's still able to inherit the title…

"So you're feeling better, yourself?" Sutton asked. "I understand my brother was at it again recently…"

"No after effects…" she smiled, sitting up…Whoa…

"Well, maybe just a few…"

"Care for a drink? I fear it must be water or soda…"

"Soda, please…And maybe we should give Mrs. F something?…Wet her lips at least?…"

No reason the new Queen can't display proper compassion for her defeated rival…

"I'll see if I can find something suitable…" Sutton nodded, rising…

"Thanks…"

This is working out…This is gonna be…O…K…She beamed.

So where is my own true, right now? She concentrated…Looking at a mirror on the wall…

Mirror, mirror on the wall…No crap about my black soul and all that jazz, just show me Artie…

Mental image, natch…Yeah…She found an image of Artie with Pete forming in her mind…Carrying Paracelsus…

Oooh…That stops as of tomorrow. There are much better ways for my Consort to throw his back out in the service of the Warehouse…And his mate.

…

"Ok…Lets see If we can find this thing…" Jinks noted…Having positioned Nick and Myka to cover the remaining small area not yet checked for Paracelsus' holographic transmitter.

"What if it is but it isn't Uncle?" Nick spoke up, suddenly.

"Excuse me?" Jinks stared.

Myka, just hearing…Staring as well…

"My uncle was curious about other worlds…He told me about it a few times, when I visited him. Before he changed and stopped talking to me, to anyone. He wanted to find out if there were other worlds, like ours but slightly different."

"The multiverse concept?" Jinks looked over at the boy. "Your uncle theorized the multiverse in the sixteenth century?"

"He thought it might be possible to communicate with his other selves…Learn from their wisdom how to better protect the sacred items in his charge…He never specifically mentioned the Warehouse, not until much later, after he'd forced immortality on us…But…"

"I don't see that has anything to do with what we're doing…" Myka noted firmly. "We ought to be looking for that transmitter…" high-minded tone.

Of course since it's just two sections away, under a shelf where I shoved it…

"Sure, just a minute, Mykes…" Jinks put up a hand… "So did he find a way to reach the other worlds, the other universes?" he eyed Nick.

"I don't know…Just that he talked about it…And one day, he seemed very excited about it…As if he'd found something... Mr. Jinks? Suppose Uncle did penetrate to another world…Suppose he found a way to cross over to that world and…?"

"And someone there found a way to cross here…A someone not so nice as your uncle?"

"And perhaps…Ruthless enough to harm his family…And even kill his counterpart?"

"That's silly…" Myka shook her head. "Crossing over from other universes? That's TV stuff…We don't have anything that could do that. And would he let someone kill him and leave his body here? Come on…"

Ooops…Me and my big…

Jinks staring… "Myka? That's…"

"Absolutely nuts…I know…I must be tired…The cancer…" she sighed.

"Cancer?" Jinks stared… "What about the cancer?"

"Uh…Oh…"

Ok…Screwed it on one hand…On the other, a diversion…

"OH…I didn't mean to…" she worked up tears in her eyes quickly…

"Myka? Is the cancer back?"

"I thought Pete must have told you…Oh…Jinks, don't tell anyone, please…It's really nothing…Just a little ovarian cancer…"

"Yes but…" he stared…

"It's under control…I'm getting treated…Just talk to Pete later, he'll fill you in…Anyway, sorry…I guess things are leaving me a little frazzled…Why don't we get back to our work and find that transmitter?" she urged.

"Uh…Sure…"

"Great." She beamed… Pulling out her Farnsworth to begin the triangulation…

"Are you sure it's ok…?" he asked. Nick likewise looking distressed.

"Please…" warm smile.. "I'm going to be just fine…Lets stick to work, please. It really helps me to have things to focus on besides that, you know?"

"Ok…" Jinks nodded. "Well, lets get to it…"

…

Alternate Warehouseverse…

Myka, Sutton, Charlotte, Nick…Following Mrs. Fredericks and a still rather frowning Leena toward the Bronzer area…

By a route which to both Myka and Nick seemed anything but direct….

Still…If anyone knew the safest way to get to the Bronzer…Myka reflected.

Just hope Mrs. F isn't some fiend in league with anti-Claudia who enjoys sadistically tormenting their victims…

"So your brother…" she addressed Sutton besides her as they moved quietly along… "The Paracelsus here…Must have been the evil one…As opposed to ours who once at least had a fine rep…"

"I think I resent that, Miss Bering…" Sutton frowned. "It's true Paracelsus became a monster, as you say…But he was also once a fine man…Perhaps it's your Paracelsus who robbed my brother of his noble reputation.

"The Paracelsus of his era was known for his saintliness until his sudden change…" Mrs. Fredericks noted. "We don't appoint maniacs to the position of Caretaker generally here, Agent Bering…"

"Well, no offense…Though given the way I've been treated since I got here, I could see my way to giving a little…A lot of the folks here seem a bit more inclined to the dark side than in mine… Which is sayin' something nice for my side, I guess." Myka beamed.

"I hardly think our side is any darker, Agent Bering." Mrs. Fredericks noted… "It's just a few of the people close to you on yours…Including yourself…Indulge the lesser angels here. No doubt there are worlds where I myself am not very pleasant…And people we would view as evil, including, again sorry to say, yourself, are very good. Each universe in the multiverse of infinite timelines depends on random chance and chaos. Lets press on, please…Agent Lattimer is not a fool and he's sure to have his people checking the more obscure areas even if he may not know this particular route."

"I guess…" Myka shrugged, moving on…As the others continued. "But our Paracelsus had a good name too…Till he went crazy and started harming his family and killing strangers…"

"That does sound like brother-in-law, Bennett…" Charlotte noted to Sutton.

"Wait…" Myka pondered. "Suppose both were good men…Caretakers of Warehouse 9 in each world…Your brother did like to experiment with and study artifacts, right?"

"In a cautious and sane way, till his unfortunate change of heart, yes…" Sutton nodded.

"And ours had that rep too…Suppose they each found a gateway, to their worlds…Reached each other, crossed over…What do you think they'd do?"

"Well, my brother was a great scientist…An explorer of the mind and the physical world through natural philosophy…"

"He'd explore…He'd consult with his doppleganger…" Myka nodded. "They'd seek each other's advice, try to help each other with their world's and Warehouse's problems, traveling back and forth to study and exchange notes, hang out…"

"But Paracelsus was a man of great experience…Even if he'd found such a gateway…" Mrs. Fredericks pondered, shaking head… "He surely would have been cautious in contacting a counterpart."

"He wasn't a fool, my brother…" Sutton nodded. "He could always seize people up on the basis of character…Judged me pretty well, certainly."

"Not entirely correctly…" Charlotte, wan smile to him…

"Indeed…" Nick agreed…

"But the counterpart could have been pretty clever…And these two worlds aren't the only universes…" Myka eyed the group.

"Another one…" Mrs. Fredericks stared. "There was another Paracelsus who somehow learned of his brothers' crossings…And took advantage of them."

"A stowaway…He must have taken one of the Paracelsus' places, maybe both…He's been jumping back and forth…Escaping whenever the heat got too much for him in either universe and maybe more…He could leap across a thousand universes if he had the right artifact." Myka noted.

"A multidimensional criminal…" Mrs. Fredericks stared…

"Who killed my brother and besmirched our family name?…My brother's noble reputation?…And tried to murder my wife?" Sutton stared.

"And led your Claudia…And I guess, your Myka to the Dark Side…" Myka sighed…

"Not all that hard." Lattimer, coolly. Emerging from the shadows just ahead…Jinks and two other agents behind him…All with guns raised.

"Thanks." Myka eyed him. "And I'm sure you were a great help to them fighting him off." Glare…

Prick…

God…I killed for love of this guy?...What was I thinking?...Was I delusional or what?

…..


	21. Chapter 21

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XXI…

Original Warehouseverse…

Section 1…

Where a somewhat puffing Artie, followed by a concerned Pete… "Artie, take it easy…" were now entering, lugging the deceased Paracelsus between them. Claudia and Sutton staring as they came in and set the body down.

"Whoa…Lovely addition to the décor, Nielson." Claudia noted.

"I…" huff…" …wanted a chance to get a closer look at him. And to have Sutton take a look."

"Why, thank you." Sutton blinked.

"Please." Artie, puffing a bit…

"Have a seat, short, dark, and loveably rotund…Artie? Sit." Claudia, insistent. Eyeing Pete for support.

"…Just confirm it really is your brother…" Artie finished, standing by the body as Sutton came over.

"Short of some modern test like DNA fingerprinting or whatever, yeah." Sutton sighed. "Poor fellow…Unless of course he's faking in which case, goddamn you, you insane maniac."

"Claudia?" Artie turned to her…Hmmn?

"Claudia?" he looked for her.

"Here." She handed him a glass of water. "Drink. Sit. This is the Caretaker speaking, Agent Nielsen."

"Fine." He sighed, sipping and moving to the chair she'd pushed to him.

"Do you sense anything from him? Anything at all?"

"He's starting to smell a little." She noted, sniffing… "But if you mean some kind of aural thingy, no. And no to any sign of the Stone's aura either. If he's the Paracelsus we know, he's lost the gift somehow."

"Ok…" he frowned. "I guess the next thing is follow Professor Sutton's advice and try a DNA test. We have the Suttons to compare, plus some of his things from his own time. And we'll need to do research to see if the Stone's effect could be countered by Warehouse energy…"

"Computer geek, ready for duty." Claudia saluted.

Buzz on Artie's Farnsworth… he peered.

"Vanessa and her team are here to see to Mrs. Fredericks." He noted. Starting to rise.

"Oh, no…The Caretaker will play hostess." Claudia, firmly. "Pete, keep him in that chair till I get back. Nhhht." She put up a finger to Artie's glare. "Stay or no more geek work or aural sweeps by the Caretaker. I'll do the gracious stuff, it's fine. Pete, don't let him out of that chair till he can breathe, I mean it. Artie, Pete can take the DNA sample…It's just a swab of the mouth, right?"

Pete nodding…Guess so…

"Fine." Artie frowned. Pete smiling…Claud the Caretaker…

Hmmn…He rubbed cheek a bit.

Somehow that thought triggers something…Just a vibe…

Well…Natch, one is nervous for the poor kid…And things are still antsy with Mykes.

Mykes…Neat as it is to have her so…Willing to try a new level of our relationship?...I'm getting the slight twinge there, too.

Maybe just the realization some of this press for closeness is fear-driven. Well, talk it out later.

Listen to me…"Talk it out"…New and improved Peter Lattimer…Well, just don't blow it, Pete. This one I do not want to get wrong…How long it takes.

...

Ok…Wouldn't want dear Vanessa to have slipped out of her current mindset and raise some warning flags, Claudia thought, hurrying to the office section.

Not going too bad…Just let the boys muck around with a few Mr. Science tests on ole Paray's corpse, help find a plausible explanation for why our nemesis became less nemesis and more pathetic loser, get the comatose ex-Caretaker settled outside my Warehouse, and keep dear ole Vanessa delirious about her new boyfriend till I can find a suitable stand-in and mc program him. Yeah. This is gonna work out just fine. And with Caretaker Claudia in charge, Warehouse 13 will be going proactive as to new threats.

Cause no way is this Caretaker sittin' around waiting for her rivals to come at her…And maybe break her consort.

Which reminds me…First order of business is to get the two halves of that Philosopher's Stone back together from my world and confer a little immortal invulnerability on yours truly…And her Niely…

Accidentally, of course…Artifact accidents happen all the time, right? And once the thing is likewise accidentally destroyed so as to prevent any reversal of the effect…Or any dangerous fellow like Paray from grabbing the Immortality ring…I'm sure over time Artie will see the upside of spending all time with his Claudia…The Eternal Guardians of Warehouse 13 benevolently protecting Humanity forever.

And at last I'll finally be the person Arthur Nielsen always believed I could be…For him, for my Arthur, truest light of my life, I'll be so good, so perfect…Beatrice to his Benedict…Marianne to his Colonel Brandon…Abigail to his John Adams…Eleanor to his (Faithful!) Franklin…

After I do a few more little somewhat underhanded things…Just to get it all set.

Oooh and I need to know if I should have our kids before Immortality or after…Should nail that down while researching the Stone.

And of course…Getting the Stone itself back…Still, my world's guys have no idea Paracelsus smuggled a replacement half of the Stone from this world to ours before he had the misfortune to stumble into their trap and lose his Immortality…It can be a bit dangerous jumping back and forth via that strange mix of artifacts that is the modified "Hooke copier"…Apart from having to trust someone like me or him to operate it. You lose track of which world knows you only too well. Much better to stay put when you can…As I will once I have the Stone to keep Arthur with me always…As he always should have been.

The other reason he needed me besides my link to the Warehouse after he failed to seize it…I having hid both the replacement and our undestroyed halves of the Stone for him.

Just a shame he brought me over without a chance to go and grab them…But considering I was about to be bronzed…

"Hey." She beamed at a somewhat uncertain Vanessa and the neuro team with her, at the front door of the B&B. "Nice to see you back, Van. Welcome brain-guys!" she smiled, waving.

I'm sure you'll do your unavailing best to help our good lady…

…

It seems strange, Nick noted. As he, Charlotte, Jinks, and Myka eyed the at-last located holographic transmitter…

"Uncle falling like that…How could he have lost his Immortality without the Stone? And there's no sign of it."

"Artie didn't seem all that puzzled by Paracelsus dying." Jinks noted. "Maybe he's got an idea and just wanted to check it out."

"Unless he thinks it's not Brother either…" Charlotte eyed Jinks.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Countess." Jinks shrugged.

"Maybe all that power-tossing with Mrs. F pooped his Immortality battery…?" Myka offered.

"Again…" Jinks waved hands. "Lets see what Artie says…Anyway…" he turned the transmitter over. "There doesn't seem anything fancy about this except…"

"Except when did Uncle have time to learn about such things…" Nick noted. "I only passed what I knew to him and frankly I'm no expert on technology. This device required expertise."

"He had time to learn a few things…" Myka tried. "And he probably could have bought it somewhere, like his bunny. Didn't Artie say the bunny was a Radio Shack item?"

"He must've…" Jinks agreed… "Well, lets take it in and let Artie and Claud try to figure things out. Maybe we're just lucky for once and it all worked out well, assuming we can get Mrs. F back ok."

"Exactly." Myka beamed. "Lets not look good news in the mouth…Or any other wrong place. We should probably be celebrating."

"I'd prefer to know for sure about Uncle." Nick sighed. "Not meaning to rain on the parade, Agent Bering." He noted apologetically to her frown.

Kid, some people should just take the award and leave the podium…She thought.

Still, long as Jinks agrees all could be well and nothing seems to be tripping us up. After all, killing people didn't really solve much in my world.

…..

"So how's the boyfriend, Vanessa?" Claudia, pleasant smile as the neuro team set up its equipment in the bedroom selected for Mrs. Fredericks.

"Boyfriend?" Vanessa stared… Uh…

Yes…You remember your new boyfriend…Don't you, sweetheart? Claudia, concentrating…

"Oh, he's very good…Great." Vanessa beamed. "Yeah…Ummn…I spoke…To him just before we came back…He's…Great. I can't wait to get home and see him…." Her voice trailing a bit…

"Terrific." Claudia nodded…

Hey, compared to what I would've done to her without the Warehouse backing me up mc-wise…This is utter benevolence…She thought.

Though…Lets back off and not give the good doctor a cerebral hemorrhage pressing too hard. She's settling into the groove just fine.

"Well, we should get Mrs. F set to rights in here and then you can do your exam and be on your merry way, eh?" she noted to Vanessa pleasantly. "If these two fellas will come along to help us get her in, I'll have her brought right over, ok?"

"Uh…Sure…" Vanessa nodded…Blinking…

Someone here I'd like to see…? Besides my patient…? Well, no matter…She went to assist the tech setting up monitoring equipment. Claudia leading the two males with their stretcher out the door…

Yep…Alls going just fine. Just gotta see about tyin' the loose ends…

Startin' with the Regents' upcomin' visit…

And including my rather unreliable junior partner…After she assists me one last time…

The only question being whether I trust her with the location of the Stone halves or in sending me over and back to get them…But, it's not like she's smart enough to know how to perform the Immortality ritual and she'd be too terrified once over there to risk staying to learn it there. After all, she has some chance here for a life and no chance at all there, poor thing.

Though, sadly, once she fetches me the pieces…She's about less than useless to me…

Sorry, Petey…But once I've got things reasonably secure, the Myka I brought over is not the best person to have around with something on me. And I can't rely on mind-control 24/7 in the close quarters of the Warehouse.

Think of it as an act of kindness, preventing you from making a terrible, believe you me, relationship choice…

Sadly, though, given the generous and tolerant nature of my world's Lattimer, by now your own true should be solid bronze…But c'est la vie and a nice fella like you'll find someone neat soon enough. Hey, I could get your ex- back for you if you like? I love to see couples reunite like that...According to the records I scanned as well as Paray's memory dumping, she seems a lot nicer than the murderous bitch partnered with MacPherson we had to kill on my world years ago…And you've made so much progress, I understand. Of course she'd dump her current hubby but hey…You're family and she was your wife first, right?

Lets see now as to Myka…Tragic accident, causality during the last attack of that fiend Paracelsus on the regents, or should I consider making use of that cancer thing? Surely there are many artifacts here that can induce it or have cancerous side effects. A health hazard that as caretaker I shall put right…

Later…

….

Alternate Warehouseverse…

Where a half-dozen more agents had emerged to join the group with Agent Lattimer…

"Mr. Lattimer, at least hear Agent Bering out." Mrs. Fredericks noted.

"Mrs. Fredericks…I'm afraid I must charge you with violating security protocols set down and agreed to by your own Regents and aiding and abetting a dangerous criminal." Peter noted coolly. "Agent Jinks, place Mrs. Fredericks under arrest. Professor Sutton, you and your family are also under arrest, but if you've been taken as prisoners, I assure you, you'll come to no harm. " Jinks moving to Mrs. Fredericks with an agent in support as she eyed him.

"Mr. Lattimer…You do know I can resist successfully." Mrs. Fredericks eyed him.

"Here, Jinks…" Leena handed Jinks what Myka saw immediately was the detachment ribbon…Jinks placing it on Mrs. Fredericks wrist before she could move. She swayed…

"Well done, Leena…" Lattimer nodded.

"Pete?!" Myka stared. "Are you insane? That's Mrs. Fredericks, you can't take the Warehouse from her. Who'll be Caretaker?"

"Leena…How could you?" Mrs. Fredericks, gasping at Leena who eyed her coolly.

"It's time to choose sides, Mrs. Fredericks…And I've chosen." Leena noted. "You can't be allowed to jeopardize this place and the world any more."

"As for the Caretaker…We have our own candidate, Ms. Bering." Peter nodded. Leena, faint smile.

"Leena?" Myka stared.

"At last someone who can appreciate the need for order and security here." Lattimer nodded. "Bring them along."

"You set this up?" Myka stared. "You knew Mrs. Fredericks would believe me? And you had Leena pretend to go along with her, so she could take the Warehouse…For you?"

"The Regents…Will never agree…" Mrs. Fredericks gasped…Fainting.

"Get her back to the office, see she's taken care of." Peter ordered…Two more agents emerging from the shadows to assist Jinks.

"Lattimer…" Sutton shook his head… "As a historian I tell you a grab for power like this is futile…And the Regents will back Mrs. Fredericks…"

"Professor, lets leave that decision to the Regents. Leena?" Peter eyed her.

"Come on, Professor. Countess? Nicholas? We're going back too." She waved to two of the agents who pulling weapons urged the Suttons to follow.

"If Ms. Bering is harmed…!" Sutton began.

"Her sentence will be carried out as demanded by the decision of the Regents." Lattimer, calmly.

"Lets go…" he waved the remaining group on…Two now on either side of Myka holding guns trained on her.

"You know don't you?" she frowned at Peter as they walked. "You know I'm telling the truth…That I'm not your Myka."

"She stopped being my Myka years ago, Agent Bering." He noted, briefly.

"And to cover all this up…Leena taking over the Warehouse from Mrs. Fredericks, you getting to use her to run it? You'll worse than kill me, an innocent person? And what, kill Mrs. Fredericks before the Regents learn the truth? The Suttons, too? You…You're worse than your Claudia or Paracelsus."

"Mrs. Fredericks won't be harmed, naturally. Nor will the civilians…Though I'm sure Sutton will protest, I think he'll accept a deal to avoid prosecution after you and Claudia escape." Lattimer eyed her.

"What?" Myka stared.

"Assuming of course it is your Claudia in the bronzer…" Lattimer eyed her. "Myka…" he eyed her. "I lost the person I loved more than anything in this world…Saw Claudia and you…Your counterparts…Corrupted by this place…Though to be honest neither of you here were fit for such a duty. And all because the Regents refuse to see the danger of letting things stay as they are. Mrs. Fredericks is a kind-hearted, wonderful person…And quite brilliant in her way…But her mistakes as Caretaker led us to the brink of disaster. That has to end. And you, Agent Bering, are my way to end it."

She stared…Shaking head… "If we escape…Mrs. Fredericks can be blamed for trusting me. And the Regents will agree to what you and Leena have done…Oh, Pete?" she sighed. "Can't you see you're as corrupted as your Claudia? Maybe worse, since you still believe you're doing the right thing…?"

"You have your world to guard, Myka…We have ours. Let me do my job and you do yours. Here we are." The group had reached the bronzer area.

"Get Ms. Donovan out…And we'll see what we have…I agree with your theory about Paracelsus, Myka." He eyed her glaring face as an agent began activating the de-bronzing sequence. "There was no reason for the bronzer to fail, it must have been sabotaged to kill the true Paracelsus, the real Caretaker of Warehouse 9. He and maybe your Paracelsus must have been held by the other and killed, probably to keep him from warning us about the other, most likely, Claudia's work."

The bronzer cycling along...

"Pete…This is wrong, what you're doing. You can't take power from the Regents here." Myka tried.

"No one is depriving them of control here, Myka." He eyed her. "But we need a stronger hand at the wheel and now we have a chance to convince them, I think this incident on top of recent events will do the trick. I'm sorry, Agent…But you aren't from here, you've no idea what we've been through. Just be glad I'm willing to believe your story and give you a chance, so long as it holds true."

"What about us? Do you really plan to send us back? How?"

"I've no idea how you got here or how Claudia and your counterpart, let alone Paracelsus, travelled to your world. That I'll leave up to you. If you don't do anything foolish…" he eyed her.

The bronzer door opened…Claudia, gasping… "No..no…You don't understand…" she mumbled. Nearly falling…

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''


	22. Chapter 22

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XXII…

Alternate Warehouseverse…

Leena leading the Suttons back to the office area with her two agents…The Suttons voicing occasional protests which went ignored.

"Father, we have to help Ms. Bering…" Nick hissed to Sutton. "They'll bronze her and she'll be trapped here forever. It's not right."

Charlotte, listening, moved to address Leena… "How could you do that? To Mrs. Fredericks, your friend. I know her…I've spoken with her, she loved you like a daughter, how could you?"

"No one is going to harm her. But sometimes the torch has to be pass more quickly than the bearer is willing to allow." Leena, calmly. "Agent Lattimer and I simply want to protect the world better…"

"And you'd like to be the Caretaker…Wouldn't you?" Charlotte eyed her. "She told me she was a bit concerned you'd been disappointed when Claudia seemed to be the new candidate, not you…And even after Claudia was corrupted and turned evil, you still weren't top choice, were you?"

Leena smiled thinly…

"Countess…I won't play this game. I'm doing what I've been ordered to do by my superior. Now, please…Lets get you to the office. Professor?" Leena addressed Sutton who was trying to hold back with Nick… "Lets please get moving. Agent Lattimer has no intention of harming you or your family, I can assure you."

"He'd be wise not to…I do have friends." Sutton noted.

"And you'll be free to contact them…When we get back…" Leena, nodding to her agents to urge the Suttons along.

Definite downside to losing the invulnerability thing, Sutton noted to Charlotte, eyeing the weapons trained.

"Her hold on the Warehouse must be very weak…"he hissed after making the rueful comment aloud. "She's not the true candidate and the transfer just occurred."

"So?..." Charlotte whispered.

"So…Artifacts are less controlled…And we are descendants of a Caretaker…" he eyed her. "If the legends of the Warehouse are true, likely to be recognized as such…"

Oh….She smiled…I see…

That historian gig coming in handy, eh?

And time to utilize our well-honed skills…

"Nick?..." she hissed… "See anything you fancy?" smile, indicating the shelves with nod.

…..

"Well?" Lattimer addressed an agent examining the fainted Claudia…Myka anxiously waiting.

"She's alive…Just a bit stunned."

"Be careful…If she's our Claudia, this is a deception and Leena's grip on the Warehouse will be weak for some time yet." Peter cautioned.

"You see…" he turned to Myka… "I really am not sure…I'm giving you a decent chance here, whatever you may think of me. Though I did confirm you're not our Myka."

"How?" she stared. "My DNA would've matched…An aural thing?"

"I'm sorry to hear you're ill, Agent." He eyed her.

She sighed, shrugging… "Nice to know the cancer was good for something…"

"I understand it's still treatable…" he hesitated… "Myka…I regret I had to do things this way…I am glad to see you made out better in your world than ours did. But I have to protect my world, the people I love…And we know all too well here, sometimes, if we're not vigilant, we can fail."

"Pete…"Myka sighed. "You're mistaking vigilance for crossing the line…If you'd only listen to me before it's too late…"

"I won't lose any more good people because we're not on guard and ready." He shook his head. "If you'd been here…And I do wish…" he paused.

Claudia coming to now…Myka hurrying to her.

"Myka?! Paracelsus grabbed me…No!" she looked wildly round her… "Don't let them bronze me! I saw the other in transit…I'm not her, Myka!"

"Yeah, yeah…It's ok…" Myka, soothingly… "We know you're not her…We know…"

"She…She's…I felt her…She's so…Lost…Myka…"

Lattimer eyeing his agents awaiting instructions…Hold off a moment.

"It's my Claudia…" Myka looked at him… "I've no doubt."

"All right…For now…But we haven't much time. Give her the injection…" he waved to an agent with medical bag. Myka nervously protective, covering her.

"No!"

"It's just a stimulant. We need her on her feet quickly." Peter explained. "If I meant to kill her, bullets would be much more reasonable for effect." He eyed Myka calmly…She finally standing away, Claudia looking to her, frightened.

"What's going on? What's with Pete? Where's Artie and Jinks? Myka?!" she pulled her arm away as the agent with syringe moved to take it… "Hey!"

"It's ok, Claud…They just want to give you something to help get you on your feet. They need us gone quick." She eyed Lattimer.

"Ms. Donovan…" Peter looked at Claudia who was still avoiding the agent's grip nervously. "I apologize for the mistake, we'd no way of knowing you'd been substituted for our Claudia. As your Myka says, we just want to help you both get home. Please, the shot will just help you recover faster."

"It's ok, I think, Claudia." Myka nodded. "For now, they need us alive."

"We'd prefer it." Peter agreed.

….

Original Warehouseverse…

Claudia, singing an adaptation from "HMS Pinafore"…

"I am the Mistress of all I See…

The Ruler of Warehouse 13…

Whose praise the world will proudly chant…

Except for a few who maybe can't…

A few reb-els who can't…"

She entered the office area where Artie with Jinks was examining Paracelsus' corpse…Sutton kneeling by the corpse with Artie…Charlotte seated, watching…Though encouraging Nick to turn his attentions to the computer Artie'd turned on for him, clearly wishing to have him dwell on other things besides the body of his uncle.

Jinks returning Claudia's frowning stare at Artie with smile… "He was breathing ok when Pete let him get up."

"Good. I saw the boys carrying Mrs. F with Pete and Myka on the way in…Vanessa's team is set up for her. So, what's up, Nielsen?" she turned to Artie, moving to kneel besides him. "Any clues as to why our fiendish enemy croaked despite his alleged invulnerability?"

Oh…This is so right…So like the old days…She thought.

"Not yet…" Artie shook his head. "But he must've lost his protection earlier…He took the artifacts he did to try and replace what he'd lost, that's almost certain."

"Maybe Mrs. F's resistance on the first attack did blow his battery, like Myka thought." Jinks noted.

"Sounds plausible…" Claudia nodded. "And how is the new Caretaker doing? Why, quite well, thanks for asking?" she eyed Artie.

"I can see you're ok, Donovan." He frowned at her. "But I was about to ask…Any problems?"

"No headaches, visions, or delusions of grandeur so far." She beamed.

"Good. Keep it that way."

"For you, anything…" she smiled, a warm smile that brought a grin to Jinks.

Honestly…She beamed.

Oh, at last I'm home…Home for good. Safe with my family again…Loved and ready to love…Secure…

Well, after I deal with my troublesome little sidekick…

"Myka still gone on Pete?" Jinks grinned.

"Absolutely ga-ga, I'm afraid." She smiled. "Must be that thing with getting your life back and all…"

"Hopefully she'll get over it quickly. This isn't the time for Agent Bering to lose her edge." Artie frowned. "Ok, there's nothing residual here…He's as dead as dead can be."

"Must you?" Charlotte frowned over at him.

" I suppose we should take charge of him…" Sutton sighed. "Give him a proper Christian burial…"

"That would serve him right." Charlotte noted. "Well, he did babble on about his atheist notions in his last days before he attacked us." She pointed out. "It would probably make his wretched soul turn over."

"I think we should…In his better days, Uncle was fond of Christianity, if not a strict believer." Nick noted.

"Settled then…" Sutton nodded. "We'll hope it gives peace to his troubled soul. It could simply have been madness, Charlotte." He noted to the frowning Charlotte.

"He searching for something…At my post…?" Claudia asked Artie, indicating Nicholas.

"The Countess wanted him to have something to do besides stare at Paracelsus…He's looking for possible artifact activity outside the Warehouse, plus any word on the Stone's location in case Paracelsus had things hidden elsewhere."

"Never hurts to check…" she nodded. "Though I could just use my super aura to scan around…?"

"Lets hold on over indulging your new abilities, Claudia." Artie noted firmly. "There was a reason Mrs. Fredericks didn't go the quick route every time we had a problem."

"Avoid the quick and easy path, it leads to the Dark Side…I shall heed your words, Master Yoda." She grinned…Lightest of touches on his arm…He turning to eye her…Claudia?

"Thanks for being here, Arthur. To guide me…I really mean it." She smiled warmly. Hesitating…

Aw, what the hell, I'm a big girl now… She kissed him, gently.

Jinks eyeing…A bit startled but on the whole…

"Ummn…" Artie, staring…

"Forgive slight loss of affected cynical pose, mon captaine…" she smiled. "Put it down to exhaustion if you like…Or whatever…" careful stare.

And expect it to be just the start of a beautiful romance, you beautiful soul, you…

Though of course we'll have the deceased Regents' and Myka's funerals before the wedding feast…Clear the decks of tragedy before joy, I always say…

And I'm content to accede to a long courtship and a decent period of engagement…

"I'll try…" he blinked…Turning back to Paracelsus…

"interesting, speaking of religious beliefs…When did he choose Islam or Judaism?" Artie noted.

"What?" Sutton stared.

Oh…He eyed where Artie indicated.

"That's not possible…"

"What?" Claudia, Charlotte…

Oh…They both turned away…

"Why not possible?" Artie eyed Sutton…

"We were brothers…Ummn…Often, shall we say, in close quarters as the times demanded when traveling or lodging in those days? Even as recently as a few months before he became an utter recluse…That couldn't have been done so recently before he was bronzed."

"Must we continue in this vein?" Charlotte sighed, eyeing Nicholas at the computer.

"Uncle, circumcised?" Nick looked back… "It couldn't be…Not unless very recently after he changed…"

"Nick…" Charlotte frowned.

"It's just an operation, Mother." He smiled at her. "And now that I will age, I'll have to learn a little more about such things…"

"Not for some time yet, Nicholas." She insisted.

Sutton smiling at Nick…

"Well, this was not done recently." Artie said quietly. "He must have had the procedure years ago."

"My brother, a closet…?"

"Either or…Though I'd put my money on Muslim…It would have gotten him access to a great deal of scientific literature not available then in the West." Artie nodded. "Unless he was just very hygienic and ahead of his time that way. But you never saw…This?"

Charlotte, heavy sigh…

Claudia, considering…

"This wasn't my brother…" Sutton nodded. "Whoever he was, it wasn't the man I grew up with."

Ok…Not necessarily a problem…I want a Paracelsus yet as Big Bad…And this would suggest he might still be out there…Claudia thought.

No, this actually could work well…Nice eye for the cutting detail, Arthur…

…


	23. Chapter 23

"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XXIII…

Alternate Warehouseverse…

"So just how are we supposed to have 'escaped' the great Agent Lattimer?" Myka, supporting the still woozy Claudia gently, eyed Agent Lattimer…

"Well, I'd planned to have you up to your old tricks…" Peter noted, calmly… "And to have seized something from the armory to take us out temporarily." He nodded to an agent who displayed a small box.

Armory? Myka blinked as did Claudia…

We have an armory…?

"And, given your friends the Suttons, I'm rather counting on you having some additional support…" faint smile.

Myka eyed him…So…

There is yet a bit of my Pete in this one…

"It was different once, wasn't it?" Myka eyed Lattimer. Claudia, still rather groggy, seated now, trying to focus on the laptop Peter had had brought to her…Though he kept a strict eye on her as she tried to find whatever it was that had been used to bring her and Myka across the dimensions…

"A long time ago, yes." He nodded. "We were almost like a family…Till Arthur Nielsen died." Wan smile… "I never quite accepted his free-and-easy style completely but I have to admit, things were happier then."

"What happened, Pete? How did Claudia and I? Our counterparts?"

"Well…Claudia…" sigh. "She was always a potential for disaster I thought. But ever since Artie found her during a hunt that involved her lost pimp of a brother and the artifact he'd trapped himself with…"

"My what?" Claudia, frowning up at him.

"Sorry, but that what's he was and then some…However brilliant he was , Donovan was a thief, a pimp, and a murderer." Peter, calmly. "But Artie believed in our Claudia and with good reason then, I suppose…There was hope for her, even I'm willing to admit that. If Arthur had lived, things might have been ok…She loved him so."

"Uh…Like mentor-trainee, father-daughter…?" Claudia, nervously…

"Like loved." Peter shook his head. "Just how much, we found out too late, though there was no denying it…And at the time, it seemed rather…To find you capable of love after what your life had been…" he eyed Claudia.

"Artie tried to keep you at a distance…And being so desperate to please him and stay with him, you restrained yourself… We were quite a team then, I'll admit that." He smiled wanly. "Of course I was nervous about the both of you…Claudia the former teen prostitute/thief turned top protégé, even Caretaker candidate…"

"Whoa, whoa!" Claudia stared. "Teen what?"

"Not you, honey." Myka urged.

"Your brother here was not a good person, Claudia. I do blame him for most of what you became…" Peter eyed her. "Though, I hoped, after it became clear you weren't faking any more…After you killed Joshua to save Artie from him when he tried to get you to steal from the Warehouse and Artie caught you both…"

"Excuse me?" Claudia…Distressed look to Myka who patted her…

"I hoped you'd make it…Mrs. Fredericks did, too…Though in your case she had doubts and I had bigger ones…You were too dependent on Artie, even though he tried to help you find someone else, closer in age. But I suppose you were, after all, a lot older than your years suggested. When he died, you lost everything tying you to us, especially considering the way he died." Shrug… "We convinced ourselves it meant you'd found your way to stand alone, that you'd finally reached your proper level and were ready to move on to be Caretaker…You'd seemed to deal. Even I was fooled."

"I killed him, didn't I…The dagger, the astrolabe? It happened here too, right?" Claudia looked at Lattimer.

"You killed him…And though you did it for love of him, to do your duty by him, you blamed us all as well as yourself…And grew to hate us as much as you'd hated yourself for it. But at first you were simply determined to get him back, whatever you had to do. I caught you stealing artifacts to try…And then we realized you were planning to strip Mrs. Fredericks of the Warehouse in order to do it…"

Claudia, staring…

"But your ambition had grown…To the point where it was to control the Warehouse forever, maybe rooted in a desire to keep and protect Artie once you'd got him back, even a desire to use the Warehouse to help people like you… But after that, there was no helping you except to stop you."

"What about me?" Myka stared.

"Yeah, could we get off the teen prostitute's case a moment?" Claudia urged, anxiety breaking through annoyance…

"You were a problem from the start, too, Bering." Peter eyed her. "I could see you lacked stability, grounding…But you had an ability to sense things and a good instinct and though you were too raw, Mrs. Fredericks thought you'd hack it. She pushed for you to stay, forgave your mistakes, and I went along, hoping in time you'd cut it. But you were eager to stay, too eager to win Mrs. F's favor and quick promotion from me…After all, this is a pretty plum assignment for a trainee. And I could see you were afraid of having to leave…Maybe afraid of what you'd be facing out in the real world, away from a place that might be dangerous but was also pretty safe and protective in its way…And increasingly willing to do whatever you had to, to stay. Even the wrong things…"

Oh, Lord…Myka sighed. Don't tell me…

"And of course…" Claudia noted…Eyeing Lattimer…

"And she was in love with me…Though, that was all wrapped up in what this place meant to her as a haven." Lattimer nodded. "I think, in a way, for some of us, the lure of the Warehouse isn't so much the power as the security…Especially for people like our Claudia and Myka…Who desperately want a place they can call home."

"Nice for you, Lattimer." Claudia nodded. "Teen prostitute Claudia, willing to do 'anything' to stay junior trainee Myka…What snake spoiled this Peter's Paradise?"

"Amusing, Ms. Donovan…" Peter, calmly. "And it's true I did let you and Myka off easy…You were both very charming in your ways and I wasn't made of stone. You both learned to stroke my ego very well, I admit it. Though we managed to do our duty and keep things on balance until I met someone else and you lost Artie."

"CG…" Myka noted…

"Who?" Claudia stared.

"The counterpart to HG, here…I…My double…Killed her…Out of jealousy."

"Oh?..."

"Over Peter…" Myka added, hastily.

"Oh…She was makin' time with Pete? And the other Myka…?"

"Shot her chasing you…" Peter, quietly… "Claudia, our Claudia…Knew her all too well and read her like a book. She knew how jealous Myka was of my feelings for Cecily and in exchange for helping her get away after we'd learned what she was up to in freeing Paracelsus and stealing artifacts, she helped Myka kill my Cecily, trying to make it look like an accident. Maybe I should be flattered…At least those feelings for me were real…" Peter noted, grimly. "But as faked accidental shootings go, it was a poor job. Probably deliberately on Claudia's part to bind Myka to her. Our Myka not being all that good at planning things for herself."

Great…My counterpart's a dumb bimbo, led and used by Claudia…Anti-Claudia? Myka thought, glance at Claudia who was eyeing her, a bit downcast.

"So all this…Was me? The uh, teen prostitute/master villainess?" Claudia sighed.

"Yeah." Peter nodded grimly. "The woman who spurned our trust and love and betrayed us all. And who must be stopped, before she destroys your world as well."

For love of Artie…Claudia did not say as she eyed Myka, then looked at Lattimer. "What about Paracelsus? Where does he fit in?" she asked, apologetic look breaking through attempt at casual.

Didn't mean to suggest I enjoy the role of monster/Big Bad, guys…

Even if…I can understand why…

Even if…I can even admire, a little…In a way…The courage of the one of me who followed her heart…

Cat out of the bag…Dirty little secret of Claudia Donovan revealed…The one everyone chuckled at and forgot years ago…

That even I tried to put away in a black box…Knowing it was, perhaps, just a lonely girl's fond fantasy….

And yet…So much more than that…

Oh, yes…I can understand why…

"Paracelsus was the one who showed you how to escape this world and offered you a chance to find another Artie after it became clear you'd never succeed in safely restoring Artie here." Peter continued… " I…Assume…You had a relationship…" he eyed them calmly. It quite clear he had more than an "assumption" to go by…

Eehew…Myka…

"What I did for love, eh?" Claudia, shaking head. Nervous smile…

Yeah, amusing, eh folks?…And yet…Well, in my heart…I could see myself doing…Some of… It for Artie…Uh-boy…

'Cause even without all her sufferings, I was this close…

A nudge away, in fact…

And if we had failed to save him…

"And she and the evil Paracelsus…From your world…Or wherever he came from…Killed the other Paracelsus when you were going to bronze him?" Myka asked.

"Claudia'd released him…But it was the original Caretaker who'd been trapped and bronzed by his double, the other , his copy, already freed and in hiding…We used a disruptive artifact to remove the Stone's effect after we captured him. He insisted he wasn't the man we wanted but…"

"But Agent Lattimer wasn't about to listen to such claims…" Myka frowned. "You fell right into Claudia's trap and killed the wrong man…Letting the evil one escape, to our world."

"I'd no way of knowing she'd altered the storage records to show we had only one and sabotaged the bronzer, did I?" he regarded her calmly. "But that's the main reason you're free, Agent Bering…It made me reconsider when you made your claims and the tests proved you couldn't be our Myka who'd been fully tested after her trial, as per the bronzing rules."

"Claudia could have been killed too, you know…" Myka noted.

"We'd also no idea we could have the wrong woman…Fortunately we'd made the repair…It was only the power surge before your bronzing that made us reconsider yours, Myka."

"What power surge?" Claudia asked, staring at him.

"It occurred just before we were to start bronzing…Apparently just when your Myka took our Myka's place in the bronzer, just as you took Claudia's…It being the second time, and given Paracelsus' death, we held off."

"It must have been connected to our crossing over…" Myka pondered. "Maybe we could figure out what was used if we check what artifacts could generate a surge like that."

"It happened with me as well?" Claudia looked at Peter. "And you went ahead and bronzed me without even checking?"

"It hadn't seemed to be affecting anything and I decided it was an anomaly till it repeated with Myka." Lattimer nodded.

"Myka's right…You could have killed me…" Claudia pointed out.

"Probably." Peter nodded. "Just like she killed Cecily and three of my agents, not to mention dozens of innocents and the real Paracelsus…At least, the good one…The matter at hand, ladies…" he stared at them… "Is how to get you home. Ms. Donovan, do you have any ideas now as to what was used?"

Shrug at the laptop's screen…"None, except we might be able to trace that power surge…Myka?" she turned to Myka…. "Did you see what they used? Anything that might id it?"

"I remember it was…Or part of it was…Like a sort of antique copier…A box with ornate lettering and some kind of slot… A metal arrow that ran along the slot…"

"Not familiar…And not on this computer's archive. " Claudia shook her head… "You, Sgt. Friday?" She eyed Lattimer who shrugged.

"Is anything missing from the stacks?" Myka suggested. "Paracelsus was known for combining artifacts in his experiments…"

"Nothing we know of…And I've had the place checked thoroughly." Peter, firmly. "I'm going to have ask you to finish this on your own, soon. We can't stay with you much longer or suspicions will be raised among the Regents. You'll have to work this one out as best you can." He eyed them.

"You're abandoning us? Alone here?" Myka frowned. "After almost killing us and accusing us of all sorts of crimes you knew we didn't commit…Or at least I didn't…"

"Thanks." Claudia frowned.

"I just mean, till we got you out…And were sure about you." Myka tried.

"Now you see my problem, a little." Peter eyed her.

"Maybe…Maybe not…" she shrugged. "I still think you're wrong to do it this way, Pete. Lets just go to the Regents, ask for their and Mrs. F's help…"

"As I think I've made clear this involves more than your woes or mine, Agent Bering. I've made my decision as to how to proceed. Now, are you willing to take the chance I'm offering to get back to your world and stop Claudia…?"

Audible sigh from Claudia… "I am right here, you know, people…"

"…Sorry, our Claudia…Or do I just put the two of you in the bronzer with a note for future generations that suggests there may have been a possible miscarriage of justice in your cases?"

"Possible?" Myka glared. "Fine, we'll take the deal."

"Ok, then…People?! Take positions…Agent Scofax?" he turned to a tall agent in the standard black suit. She nodded.

"Surveillance is disabled, sir."

"Right then…Here you go, Myka. These are standard issue stun grenades…Two should be enough to put us under…Just keep your distance when you set them off, ladies." He noted, faint smile to Myka and Claudia.

"You'll have about fifteen minutes before we recover, sound the alarm, and begin pursuit. I'd make that time count." He noted. "Though by now the Suttons have probably managed to 'elude' Leena, so you should have help at hand, of a kind."

"Leena? The Suttons?" Claudia eyed Myka… "Nick and co?..."

"Leena, yeah…But not quite ours. The Suttons…Pretty much the same as in our world…" Myka nodded. "They actually helped me get away earlier. Pete?" she looked at him.

"I've given orders to go easy with them…We'll put it down to you two forcing them." He nodded.

"Ok…" Myka paused. "Peter, for the last time…Think about what you're doing…You're not the first to believe the Warehouse should be taken out of Regents control…It never has worked out well."

"We're not eliminating Regent control and we'll take our chances, Agent Bering." Pause… "I hope you make it home, Myka…Claudia. Be careful if and when you do. Don't take chances with our Claudia…" He stepped back.

"Claudia…" Myka sighed… "Better get behind me, these'll pack a wallop…" she lifted two grenades…

"Is anyone gonna believe I got the drop on you guys like this?" she eyed Lattimer…

"You have before…" he noted, just a bit sadly. "Down, folks…!" he waved his agents to the floor.

"I'm truly sorry about her, Pete…For what it's worth. And for your loss…" Myka nodded, sadly… "Goodbye." She tossed the grenades, wincing and staggering at the shock wave…

…..

Original Warehouseverse…

Artie's office…

"So, if this isn't the Paracelsus Dr. Sutton knew as his brother…?" Claudia eyed the corpse before them…

"Lord, you mean the maniac is still hoping about here?" Charlotte sighed.

"Not in here…" Artie noted. "Outside…Possibly."

"Then we should be ready for another attack, maybe an even bigger one than the earlier ones." Claudia suggested. "Good thing Mrs. F had the Regents coming. I'll need all the help I can get."

"How could he have found a perfect copy like this?" Sutton asked, rising from the body. "Is there some artifact that makes clones?"

"No…There isn't." Artie pondered. "And it's not some sort of temporary glam…This is a version of Paracelsus, just not the one you knew. And as I noted to Mr. Jinks and Mr. Lattimer earlier, not a former Caretaker…You're right, Sutton. This isn't your brother…But it is a version of your brother."

"Sounds creepy." Claudia eyed him. "What's going in that hamster wheel of a brain, Nielsen?"

"Another one…" Jinks nodded. "From somewhere else?"

"That would make sense…" Nick noted. "If this man took Uncle's place centuries ago, it would explain a great deal."

"But…" Artie eyed the body… "The million dollar question remains…Is there another Paracelsus running loose outside the Warehouse and how did he get hold of this one?"

"Maybe the one still loose is Uncle…" Nick noted. "He might be in hiding, trying to help us but not powerful enough." He looked at Sutton, Charlotte…Pleading…

"I'd like to believe that, Nick…" Sutton, nodding… "But why wouldn't he show himself, let us know what's up?"

"I'd guess it's another Paracelsus but the one who used the Stone…" Claudia noted. "And just as evil as this one, if less crazy…No offense, Nick…" she eyed Nicholas…

Ergo…Big Bad's still on the warpath…Shields up, Regents' visit still on…Queen Claudia required and even welcome to use full power to defend her Warehouse.

Ok, yes…A lie or two in there…She eyed Jinks…But was it the kind variety to spare dear Nick's feelings or…?

"I'd have to agree a good Paracelsus would be trying to contact us now." Artie nodded.

"So two evil brothers?" Charlotte sighed. "Wonderful."

"Maybe he found a crazy counterpart somewhere…Everyone's supposed to have at least one doppelganger, right?" Claudia noted.

"Doppelganger…" Artie repeated… Hmmn…

"There go the wheels turnin' again…" Claudia beamed.

I've missed this so, Arthur…Us sittin' round while you figure it all out. Oh…I can't fail. I can't let anyone make me fail.

"Nicholas?" Artie turned to Nick at the computer. "Did you see any hint of any artifact that might be being discussed, in any forum that could deal in doppelganger production?"

"Nothing…And so far, nothing regards any artifact stolen or sold…" he sighed.

"Lets put two great minds to work on this…" Claudia beamed. Moving to Artie's desk…Nick looking to leave his post… "Oh, no…Keep plugging…I'll use Artie's…" she grinned at Artie's frown. "It's high time it felt the touch of his youthful apprentice."

The caress…She thought.

And naturally we have nothing to hide from each other…

Me being far too cautious to put anything incriminating on mine, he being too honest to have such…

"There, there little one…I know how rough it's been with Nielsen pounding away at your keyboard…But Mama's here to take care of you now." she cooed teasingly to Artie's computer…

Jinks grinning…Attempting to repress at Artie's glare.

"Lets see…" Claudia typed away… "Doppel gangers, duplicates…I see you've pretty well ruled those lines out, artifactswise." She noted to Nick.

"Nick mentioned multiverse crossings before…" Jinks suggested, turning to Nick as Claudia frowned slightly… "You said your uncle was fascinated by the notion of other universes, other selves and wanted to reach them?"

"Multiverse doppelgangers…That's new." Claudia nodded, typing.

Well, better if I uncover anything than anyone else….And dispose of anything dangerous from such discoveries before anyone else finds them.

I'd so much rather take the reigns peacefully, with the love and support of my family then have to stage a bloody massacre of such, a la Richard III.

….

Alternate Warehouseverse…

Myka and Claudia eyeing the stunned agents around them…

"We'd better get moving." Myka noted.

"Yeah…" Claudia, troubled look…

"You ok?" worried stare…

"Sure, sure…Just a little post-bronzing effect…Be right as rain in just a mo." Hesitant tone…

"Ok…" Myka paused…

"She's who she is, you're who you are…" she eyed the pensive Claudia. "And if you think you see a lot of yourself in her, that's only natural."

"Yeah." Quickly. "No prob…"

"The difference is you didn't let it overwhelm you, Claud…" Myka noted quietly. "It's not wrong to love someone enough to be willing to consider doing hard things…It's what you actually do that counts…"

Sad, wry smile… "And here I thought my secret was safe with me…" sigh…Renewed smile…

"You won't tell him…?" grin, but sincere look…

"No. But maybe you should…Though really, he already knows…" Myka smiled.

Sigh…"You mean he knows his little girl has a mighty crushy on her Artie?…Or that she dies a little every time he encourages her to go off with some nice young lad…Or consults on dear ole Vanessa and the date game? And that sometimes…" steady stare…

"…Sometimes the lure of future Caretaker is not the coolness of running Warehouse 13 but the quaintly creepy little notion that he'd be with me…My helper and guide…Whatever he might be to Vanessa…For the rest of our lives, for always…?" unflinching stare.

"Yes to all…He's not a fool, Claudia." Steady return stare…


End file.
